Anmchara
by SeptinaStar
Summary: AU. Jack and Daniel's friendship is eternal. Their bond changes, challenges, and shapes the events of the Galaxy. Finished - hopefully with no errors this time. Anon Reviews. I didn't know I wasn't before. Am working on the sequel even now. New chapter is the start of the sequel.
1. Chapter One

Author's Note: This is inspired by the end of the BtVS episode, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" but it isn't a crossover and is definitely Stargate SG-1. Small vignettes of the past, they will get longer in time. But I probably won't explain much of what they mean other than to say they are pieces to the puzzle. Goes with both movie and show, though this Jack may be more like movie Jack. I haven't quite got a handle on the series' Jack attitude. And there are some major differences. Let me know what you think. 656-scene change.

Alternate Universe.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; barely even own the plotline since it was inspired by something I saw on another show.

**1973**.

Sitting under a large tree, an ageless student rested, curled around a large book. To the left side, an unfinished cup of cocoa waited patiently for the drinker to stir and remember it. On the other side-the far side of the campus, a dark car rolled to a stop.

The window hissed as it unrolled in the cool air and two gentlemen looked out, studying the students that passed by and mingled near. "That one."

"Are you sure? The student seems rather passive for our needs."

"I am," he replied, somewhat testily. "Look at the position of the head. That student is aware of our observations."

Keen, hawkish eyes flicked towards them and an almost contemptuous sneer crossed the lips. With a barely discernable gesture, the car started driving away, only to stop half an hour later at the city limits. The occupants were stunned but unharmed.

"Any questions?" the calm voice covered the shock almost completely. "Make no mistake, that student is our new Jonathon O'Neill."

The student turned back to the book, dismissing the men and the car from mind easily. But knew what was about to be asked and nodded, bowing to the inevitable change. This life would end and a new one would begin. A thin brow arched, thinking over the name whispered on the breeze. "Jonathon? Call me Jack."

**1985**.

Jack O'Neill stepped into the cool night air, breathing in Colorado's fresh pine air. Any minute, Sara would show up and give him a ride home. Hopefully. Since she had started some remedial medical courses, she had a tendency to forget things. Also, she was dating Charlie Kawalsky and that had a tendency to blind her mind to anything the classes had forgotten to erase.

"Hey, old buddy. You going to stand there all day? Or do you want a lift home?" she teased, pulling up beside him.

"Hey, when are you going to get a decent car? I know you can afford one." Tossing the bag into the back, Jack climbed into the front seat.

"When you get a life," she retorted. "Glad to be back on our soil?"

"You have no idea," he waited a few more minutes but the car remained idle. Giving in with a sigh, his hand reached for the seat belt.

"You know the rules, flyboy, no belt, no movement." Sara smirked, pulling out once she'd heard the click as it slid into place.

"How was your date with Kawalsky?"

She sighed, "it was a bust. As usual. We were called away before we even got seated."

"Anything I should be prepared for?"

Her head shook, "no. It was just the bigs bringing in some round disc for storage at the base. They needed brains and brawn-not just brawn."

"Cute, Sara, real cute," he groused. "I know it won't be intimate but why don't you two come over for dinner to celebrate my return? I promised, nothing take-out. It'll be home cooked."

It didn't take her more than a second to decide. "I'll call Charlie and ask. Any incentive for him?"

"Nothing fancy, he can bring his own beer." They shared a grin. Charlie's taste in beverages was legendary-and lousy. Jack himself wasn't much of a drinker. To much opportunity to lose control over himself and the situation. Besides, alcohol had a tendency to slow his reflexes down, a dangerous thing for a man who was both Special Operations and Search and Rescue.

"That'll have to do. Honestly, Jack, you need to get more from life than this." Sara semi-scolded him as she gestured to the bleak looking apartment building. "You really need more than work to fill you up."

Jack opened the door and grabbed his bag, feeling no offense at her words. This was an old argument between them. It only showed how much she cared for him, "I do. I have friends and my cabin."

"One day those things will no longer be enough for you."

With an enigmatic smile, Jack closed the door and leaned into the window. "You'd be surprised by how little I really need, Sara. Call me when you get home and thanks."

"No problem, Jack." Waving jauntily at him, she drove off.

Entering the apartment, he made a quick search and was satisfied that all was as he'd left it. Picking up the stack of mail, he sorted through it idly. It looked as though tomorrow would be his day to work on bills, he mused, heading down the hall for a quick shower. After that, he went into the kitchen, intent on finding food.

Pulling out a skillet, he fried some bacon and scrambled a few eggs. As he walked into the main room, he pressed the message button on the phone, knowing Sara wouldn't be calling him for a few more minutes. Besides, she'd want to call 'Charlie' first, so he wasn't going to worry over much about missing her call.

"_W, its D. Call me. Its about P and F_."

Hearing that voice caused Jack to choke. Thousands of memories swamped him and he barely managed to pull them in and bring his mind back to the present. D. Now that was a name-and a person-he hadn't thought of in years. Deciding to wait until after Sara called, he wrote the number down and erased the messages.

"_Jack, I'm home. Charlie thinks it's a great idea. See you around 7. And Jack? Don't make pancakes like last time. I expect a real meal_." Before he picked up, he heard the dial tone.

For a second, he considered calling and harassing her for the shortness of the call. But then reconsidered his actions, common sense taking over. Sara did not leave short, almost terse messages unless she wasn't alone. The last thing he wanted to do was interrupt any moment she and Kawalsky might find to be alone.

Instead, he called D. "I got your message. And I go by Jack now, remember?"

"_It's about time you called, I left that message a month ago. Where were you_?"

"Oh, a few places. Doing any number of things that don't concern you in any way," Jack's answer was typically evasive. "What's wrong?"

D accepted the reply with grace, they'd known each other way to long to bother with what others considered polite behavior. "_W, I mean, Jack, I hate to ask but could you come up for a while? Its important_."

"I can't for at least 2 days. Tomorrow's my debriefing and physical. If I'm cleared, I'll have a few days of downtime." He replied, "no earlier than that, I'm afraid."

There was a long pause before he heard a deep, long drawn out sigh. "_That'll have to be enough. Just don't pull any of your usual shenanigans with the doctors. I need you here, Jack_."

It was Jack's turn to sigh before conceding. D wouldn't have called if it was not important. He never did. After exchanging a few more words, they said good-bye. Jack made a list of things he'd need for the next two days. Shopping was in order.

656

As he, Kawalsky, and Sara shared a meal, they kept the talk on neutral subjects, not willing to jinx the moment. It was also what Jack needed to restore perspective on an otherwise pointless and painful day. The briefing had gone well, considering what they had been talking about, while his medical exam was relatively painless. He was clear for the next seven days, but needed to remain in close contact with the phone.

Knowing that he would be going up North, he made sure to clear it with his superiors first. They had given him a very reluctant leave-but he needed to tell them his travel arrangements so that they knew where he would be at all times if they had to recall him. As it was, he very reluctantly gave them D's number.

"What do you plan to do with your vacation?" Kawalsky asked during a lull in the conversation.

"Visit some old friends," he replied, a mischievous twinkle in his brown eyes.

"You have others? I'm hurt," he placed a hand over his heart as though to stem the pain.

Jack laughed and rose, "why don't you put something on while I clean up and bring out some dessert."

"Mmmm...I could get used to having a Jack O'Neill as my personal servant," she teased, "how much do you charge?"

"More than you can afford on a military pay check," he grinned.

Since they would all be having an early morning, they watched an hour-long program before calling it a night. Jack double-checked his place before packing a small bag and going to bed.

In the morning, he took a taxi to the airport, having managed to get a flight out to Washington once he'd gotten the all-clear signal. One of the perks of being in the higher up regs of the military was the ability to arrange for last minute transportation anywhere in the world. And he knew this from personal experience having had to do it many times in the past.

"D! Its good to see you," Jack enthusiastically hugged his old friend.

"I just wish the circumstances could be better, Jack." The unfamiliar name still stuck on his tongue, even though seeing this new version of his friend made it easier for him. "That all you've got?"

"Of course. Don't need much, you know that," he chided.

There was a tiny smile to acknowledge the words, "you're right."

"I learned from the best." They were silent until they reached the house and were seated in the library, Jack then turned the conversation towards business. "What is this about P and F?"

"They, and we, are in danger."

Quirking an eyebrow, Jack asked a silent question.

His friend nodded, "more than that. It's the summoning."

Jack whistled, this was so beyond bad, it fell into the category of sheer madness. "And what? Does he think he won't be opposed?"

"He does. That's why I got in touch with you."

"D, don't tell me he's going to force our vows! It isn't time."

"I know," his voice was reproachful.

"Have you called the others?"

"I received no reply," he sighed. "That's why I was so anxious to get you up here."

"Okay, I'll find P, you get F. She always responded better to you," he was sly.

His friend ignored that. "What'll we do if he's got them?"

"Get them back. Or kill them," it was a cold answer.

D nodded, "that's what I like about you. There's no room for gray areas."

"There can't be if I want to live," he answered grimly.

656

"Thanks for everything, Jack." D said as they drove to the airport. "Wish you could stay longer. This promises to be one brilliant celebration."

"I can't, D. But thanks for thinking of me."

"I always think of you." He watched him head up the ramp, "and Jack? Its Adam now." With a laugh at the flummoxed expression on Jack's face, he left.

Flying home, Jack sighed. One of these days, he was going to get his own plane. Relying on the availability of others bothered him. It would also go a long way towards easing his fear of heights.

"Ladies and gentlemen, due to a slight problem with the engines, we are going to land soon. This will only put us an hour behind schedule. We thank you for your patience."

Swallowing down a burst of irritation, Jack settled in to wait. What he knew was really troublesome is that the General was expecting him tomorrow morning. And this delay promised to make this an overnight stay. He would have to call and let them know what was occurring. Hopefully, they didn't expect him to be able to control the weather. Although, he thought with a grimace, they certainly expected him to be quite the comeback kid.

Closing his eyes, he started to work on his breathing exercises. In his mind, a picture formed of a cabin by the lake. Fish gleamed in the early morning light as they danced around a baited hook. Off in the distance, there was a slight movement as squirrels jumped from tree to tree and birds twirled in the air.

Slowly, he relaxed into the scene, feeling the peace enter his body and sooth his mind-until a rather strong force jolted his arm and startled him.

A fierce scowl crossed his face and he turned the full force of it onto the perpetrator-who was utterly oblivious to it. Under other circumstances, this would've angered Jack but there was something about the kid that stopped him. Some faint sense of…an indefinable memory.

"Where is it? Where did I drop it? It was right here a minute ago, I think," the young man mumbled, his books and papers jostling every which way.

Clearing his throat, Jack waited for the young man to turn to him. His seatmate continued to search through his items fruitlessly. "May I help you?" he finally asked, avoiding another elbow.

The youth flushed as he realized he'd almost hit him. "No, that's all right. I'm sure I'll find it in a moment. Sorry to bother you." He went back to his books, trying to prevent them from falling on the floor even as he searched through them.

Jack waved the words aside, "no bother at all. What are you looking for?" He glanced around, trying to see beyond the chaos of books and papers.

The student, at least that's what Jack assumed him to be because he appeared to be too young for a professor, studied the face before him for a while, then shrugged in resignation. There was something about the soldier, the student realized that his seatmate couldn't be anything but military, that said he wouldn't leave him alone until he knew what was wrong.

And there was something in those eyes that he wanted to trust. "I'm looking for my thesis."

"Is it in a folder or an envelope?" Jack prodded, thinking he'd spotted it lurking between their chairs.

"Folder."

Nodding, he fished it out. "This it?" he passed it over.

"Yeah, it would," he stared at it for a moment, before taking it. He sat there, berating himself for missing it by his side.

"Don't worry about it, happens to me all the time." Quite true, though he had been getting better at caring for himself as he started to rise up in the ranks. According to many, if the commanding officer's personal quarters were a mess, it would do little to inspire the confidence of those he was leading. Outer cleanliness a supposed sign of inner organization-or so he'd been told. Repeatedly.

He stared at Jack skeptically.

"Honest. This is just a look I adopt, it makes everyone believe that I know what I'm doing. Ask anyone who really knows me, they're all afraid to go to my house, fearing that they'll never get out again." Jack made the sign of crossing his heart, an innocent expression on his face.

Though he still didn't believe him, his lips twitched into a small smile.

"Why do you have all those books anyway?" Jack was curious, the flight wasn't long enough to justify so much stuff.

"I wanted to be prepared," his answer was short.

"For what?"

He gave in again, realizing that he wasn't going to give up. "Any questions that may be asked of me relating to my paper. This is the first time any of my papers have gone before a counsel of professors. I have to defend my position and be able to counter any of their arguments."

Jack smiled sympathetically, just listening to him speak. He'd gone through much the same thing every time he had to go in for an evaluation. One always had to be prepared to defend one's position if it ever came up-which it usually did when it came to those who wanted to rise in the ranks. Sometimes, he wished he had just stayed an unmarked soldier.

But he'd gotten bored and decided that he needed to stretch his wings a bit.

As they stood up to depart, he rested his hand on the shoulder and squeezed, ignoring the way the younger man tensed. "Just remember one thing and you'll be fine. In any battle, no matter the field, you have two voices of counsel. One of fear and the other of wisdom. Never take counsel from fear."

One more squeeze and he disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind one confused scholar.

Stepping out into the stale building, Jack shook his head. He had never indulged in conversation with strangers. Even if the young man seemed somewhat known to him, why did he speak so freely with him? "I must be crazy offering advice to some kid I have nothing in common with," he muttered before resolving to put the experience from his mind.

The 'kid' got off the plane, curious about the soldier. Widely traveled, he could tell that talking to strangers wasn't something he normally did. Yet, he had not only talked to him, he reached out to him in friendship. He found it curious.

His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for the tall, brown haired man. Catching a glimpse of him entering the commissary, he jogged to catch him. "Uhm, excuse me?" he breathlessly asked, coming to stand beside him.

"Yes?" he replied, shocked to see him. "Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?"

"Sure," he accepted, mind perking up at the thought of coffee-even barely tolerable coffee.

In a strangely companionable silence, they waited in line and then sat at one of the booths with their drinks. "Not to seem like I don't appreciate the company because I do but was there something you wanted?" he asked after a while.

Flushing, he studied the nearly empty Styrofoam cup. "Not really...I guess I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for the help."

"No problem," he began but was interrupted when an officer tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up into the face of a redhead, "yes?"

"Jack O'Neill?" At the affirmative nod, she placed a phone in front of him. "For you, press one."

"Thanks," picking up the receiver, he barked a hello.

"_O'Neill? Return to base. A helicopter is waiting for you,_" it was brisk and ended with a sharp click.

For a moment, Jack stared at the phone, then rose with a shrug. "Duty calls. I wish you luck on your test." With a cheery wave, he was gone.

Jack O'Neill, the student mused, I do hope we met again. With a strange sense of prescience, he knew that they would meet again. He just hoped that when it happened, it would be under more auspicious circumstances.

**1995**.

"No, this is all wrong. What did you do? Translate it in the dark?" The exasperated voice asked, erasing the work and quickly rewriting it. "Or did you use "The ABC's of Translating Ancient Egyptian for Dummies"? No, wait, this reeks of that supposed Egyptologist expert Budge."

Colonel O'Neill paused, surprised by the youthful, disgusted voice. He was even more startled when he laid eyes on the speaker, who was currently ripping apart forty years of work furiously.

This was the famed Dr. Jackson that Professor Langford had wanted so desperately? He was just a kid.

Then again, he thought, examining the newer work, what this doctor was doing made a little more sense than what the others had written. Still, could they trust this kid? "Excuse me?" his authoritative voice cut through the din of the angry voices. "May be we should allow Dr. Jackson to explain his reasons for the change? His record shows that he has spent most, if not all, of his life in pursuit of Ancient Egypt."

He was unprepared for the gratitude in the blue eyes that turned towards him. Nor the unexpected feeling of recognition that struck him.

Dr. Daniel Jackson nodded at him briskly, shoving aside his own feelings of recollection for the moment. "Thank you, Colonel O'Neill. As you suspected, I do have reasons for the changes and will explain once I've finished."

Jack tuned out the lecture almost as soon as it started. What the doctor was saying was more for those in the room than the colonel. He was puzzled as to why this man was so familiar to him. They would not have traveled in the same social circles. Dr. Jackson's records showed that this man was more intelligent than he could ever hope to be.

If he were any other man, the thought of working with such an obvious genius would bother and frighten him. Luckily, he was no ordinary man and felt no such thing. Resolutely, he forced himself to listen and make a judgment based on what he heard and was produced, than what he saw.

Because all he was currently seeing could be summed up with one word-geek.

"So, do you think you can translate the rest of the language?" General West asked, breaking into the lecture firmly.

"Rest?" Daniel turned to Catherine, baffled.

She smiled, "I was going to show you but you saw that and retranslated it. Come with me, Daniel."

"Just one moment, Professor Langford," Jack stepped in front of them, blocking the exit. "Did you explain to Dr. Jackson that anything he sees is confidential? He is not allowed to talk about this project with anyone other than those who have been given clearance."

She waved him off, irritably. "Of course I did. Do you think me a fool, Colonel?"

He backed off at the ice in her voice, "my apologies." Seems I better add one more name to the list of women I can't intimidate to save my life.

656

Jack sat, sipping hot cider and studying the paperwork before him. It seemed to him that they were dealing with a lost cause, a lose/lose situation. The kind of thing he seemed to attract lately. And was expected to make it prosper or blow it up. Rolling the cider over his tongue, he thought about who he'd like to serve this mission with.

There were only a handful he'd work with who'd be willing to give everything they had to the cause-no matter the cost. And he knew that the cost would be extremely high. If they got that thing to work, what lay on the other side could possibly spell their death. And if it didn't, they might not be able to get back home. Ferretti, Kawalsky, Sara, and Fraiser came to mind instantly.

"I hoped it was you when I heard your name mentioned," a hesitant voice spoke from above and to his right. Jack glanced up, an eyebrow raised in question. Daniel's own face bore a sheepish one, "I suppose it was to much to hope that you would recognize me."

Jack gestured to the empty chair, shoving all his papers into the folder. "While I can't say that I recognize you, I won't deny you are familiar to me."

He smiled shyly, "we met on an airplane. Briefly. And shared a cup of coffee."

"Thesis boy," he exclaimed, suddenly remembering. "Obviously, it went well."

Thesis boy? Daniel shelved the name aside for the moment. "It did. That paper brought me quite a lot of recognition in the academic world. I don't think I could've done that without you," Daniel added, shredding the napkin in front of him.

"Me? I only found your paper." Jack objected.

"You also encouraged me. Walking into that room was overwhelming, all those knowledgeable people in one room and then there was me. Some punk student who had some crazy ideas. I almost backed out of the whole thing. What did I have to offer them? But, your words came to me. I just went out and let what I knew guide me."

Jack was embarrassed, it showed in the way he shifted in his chair. "Then, you're welcome."

656

Dr. Janet Fraiser left in her office, rubbing her aching shoulder absent-mindedly. Her dark red hair escaped her bun and tickled her cheeks as the wind blew it while she walked to her car. It had been one long, hot, nerve-wracking day and all she wanted to do was go home and get drunk, not necessarily in that order. A long, hot soak in a bath didn't sound to bad either, though she'd prefer a hot tub session.

Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid the meeting with General West.

With a sigh, she drove to Cheyenne Mountain and entered it, making her way past the security check posts. She trudged wearily down the hall, yawning. Turning the corner, she stopped in surprise, recognizing a familiar figure conversing with a younger man.

"As I live and breath, its Jack O'Neill," she exclaimed, hardly daring to believe her eyes. Seeing that man instantly woke her up, all her senses on high alert. One would have thought that they'd have warned her that he'd be around. When Jack O'Neill was involved, it was best to have foreknowledge, he usually got the worst of missions.

He whipped around, grinning widely at the petite woman. "Jan!" Moving away from his companion, he gave her a big hug, lifting her off the ground completely. "I don't believe it. I thought you told the general no. Or words to that effect."

She shrugged, studying Daniel over his shoulder. "What can I say? He finally made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"I know, I am rather hard to resist," he put her down.

"For a dog may be," she smirked at his expression. "Who's this? He's not quite your usual type of acquaintance," she spoke that part softly so as not to hurt the young man's feelings. He must be quite a person to put up with Jack's abrasive personality.

"People change," he told her as they moved towards him. "Janet, this is Dr. Daniel Jackson. Danny, this is Dr. Janet Fraiser."

Though startled by the introduction and the friendly curiosity he saw in her eyes, he accepted her hand and smiled, "pleasure."

"It is," turning to Jack, she pouted. "And here I thought I was the only doctor for you. How could you do this to me, Jack? After all I've done for you, you go and find another doctor to take my place."

"He's not that kind of doctor, Jan." He stopped laughing and explained, seeing the hurt on Daniel's face. "Daniel here is a genius. Within moments, he single handedly cracked a code that has baffled scientists and 'experts' for years." _I really need to remember how easily this man gets hurt by what we consider harmless comments_, he thought.

"Jack!" Daniel protested, blushing. "I did not."

"Of course you did, Daniel. Accept it. You are a genius."

"Well, he must be something else as well to put up with you when he's not enlisted," she quipped, trying to spare Daniel more embarrassment.

"You mean, you're military?" he asked, looking for some sign that she was kidding.

She nodded, "afraid so. Captain. Are there going to be anymore surprises?" She asked, turning back to Jack.

"I don't think so," he thought for a moment. "Sara got the promotion to Lieutenant."

"I take it she'll be going with you?"

"After I almost lost Charlie? Just try to stop her."

She laughed, then sobered upon looking at her watch. "It was lovely meeting you, Dr. Jackson, but I'd better get going before they send out the marines, thinking that I got lost."

"You going to be okay?" Jack asked, looking worried.

"Of course. If I get in trouble, I'll just mention your name, Colonel," she told him sweetly, eyes bright with laughter. "And Jack? You owe me a drink."

A shout of laughter followed her down the hall, "I always seem to owe you a drink. Why is that, Jan?"

"You haven't the guts to pay up, O'Neill."

Jack smiled sympathetically at Daniel. "Welcome to Oz, Dorothy," he put an arm over his shoulder in support and guided him towards the elevator.

One Month later:

Jack looked at Daniel's books skeptically. "You do realize that no one's going to help you carry those with all that we have to take ourselves?"

"Jack, I may need everyone of those books by the time we're done. You'll be glad that I brought them along." Daniel spoke with exasperation in his voice, though it was muffled because his head was bent over his pack. "Why are we taking all of these weapons anyway?"

"We don't know what lies beyond that room and need to be prepared for anything." He paused, turning to look at the assembled supplies. "It isn't that excessive. Believe me, this is nothing for a mission the size that we are about to embark on."

Daniel gave him a look, the one Jack never had much trouble deciphering. "Yeah, and what if the people who can help us get hurt or frightened by all this stuff?"

"That's what you are to help us avoid, excuse me." He had caught sight of General West waving him over. It wouldn't do to get into a fight with him now. Only a few weeks earlier, there had been some trouble over his involvement in the project. It seemed that the Pentagon was uncomfortable with the younger man's full participation-and they had almost lost General West to another general who wouldn't allow the scholar his due.

Besides, he didn't want to give in to the temptation to argue with Daniel about his 'supplies'. If the academic man thought they'd be needed, then who was he to tell the expert no? With a wry grin, he acknowledged that had it been anyone other than Danny, he would've put his foot down.

General West waited to the left, out of earshot of the group. "This is your instructions should the unexpected occur. Do not open it unless you have no other choice."

"Understood, sir." He saluted sharply, accepting the envelope. Pulling off his pack, he put it in the back and went to join his team. Though he feigned ignorance, he could feel Daniel's questioning gaze resting on him. The one that usually brought him over so that they could talk. _Not this time, Danny_, he thought regretfully.

Once the wormhole was established and they had the green light, he patted Daniel's shoulder. Then he stepped through, followed closely by Daniel. The rest of the team waited for the signal to be given that all was safe. Hurdled through at an amazing rate, Jack barely had time to curl up and roll to minimize the impact with the hard ground.

"Shake it off, Daniel," he whispered, helping him to his feet. Taking a moment, they examined the room and the surrounding area. When nothing greeted them but silence, Jack clicked his radio twice and stood back to wait.

They emerged from the gate in pairs of two. Counting himself and Daniel, there were twelve. Once they'd reoriented themselves and the gate shut off, Jack barked out orders. "Kawalsky, Fraiser, I want you to take the right wing of this place. Lieutenant Kawalsky, Ferretti, take the left. Ryans, Johnson, see what you can do about powering the gate. May be that thing over there has something to do with it. Dr. Jackson, you work on finding the coordinates and getting us home. The rest of you are with me."

He watched the four marines drop their unnecessary loads before they walked past him, heading out in a silent stalk towards the outer rooms.

"Jack?" Daniel's voice was confused. His face twisted in pain to see the hard look in Jack's eyes.

His eyebrow rose, "yes, Dr. Jackson? Is there a problem?"

The linguist took a step back, hurt not only by the question but also by the lack of warmth emanating from him. "No, not at all." He withdrew to a corner, wrapping his arms around himself

"Good. I want to know what our situation is and when we can think of going home as soon as I get back, doctor."

Daniel just nodded his understanding, forcing himself to focus on the walls and columns instead of the sudden change in Jack's behavior. His eyes widened but he waited until the colonel had left before frantically searching the walls.

"Impossible!" he muttered, hands now flying over the walls in desperation. "Nothing," he sank to the ground, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Is there a problem, Dr. Jackson?"

"Call me Daniel, Dr. Fraiser. And, unless you count the fact that there seems to be no writing on the walls to tell us how to get home as a problem, no."

She whistled, "Janet, Daniel. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. There's nothing on these walls. Anywhere. The columns are equally as bare. Without some indication or starting point, I can't figure this out at all. I can't get us home. What am I going to tell Jack?"

There was a click and Jack's voice came over the line. "Would someone mind sending Dr. Jackson out here, we are in desperate need of his services."

Janet caught the flinch at hearing Jack use his title. "Will do, colonel." Janet helped him up and walked out with him. "Daniel, don't mind the colonel. He has a job to perform and means nothing by his behavior."

"I know that, Janet. But he hasn't called me that since our first meeting. What am I supposed to call him, Colonel O'Neill?" He was bitter now. "I just get the feeling that he'd rather not have anything to do with me now that he's surrounded by his own kind."

Janet shielded her eyes as they emerged into the bright sunlight. There was silence between them as they started down the stairs. "It isn't like that, it is the mission. And you aren't military, you don't have to call him colonel anything. Jack will be fine."

"Actually, I'm thinking jerk is more appropriate," he snapped. Pausing to turn around, no longer able to ignore the feeling of familiarity, he stared up and the building and his lips twisted. "So, I'm just a tabloid archaeologist, am I? I wonder what they'd make of this, an almost exact replica of the Giza pyramids."

"Dr. Jackson? I know the scenery is lovely but would you mind making friendly with the natives? I'd rather not have to hurt anyone," the irritation was obvious.

With a sigh of deep regret, Daniel jogged down the remaining steps. All the time, he was studying the group surrounding Jack and his men. In an effort to not frighten them, they had obviously dropped their weapons, save the pistol in Jack's hand.

Daniel would've smacked him if he'd thought it would do some good. But, while it would make him feel better, it wouldn't make a good impression of the natives. So, he made do with a glare he'd honed on lazy students and dig workers. Standing by Jack, he reached out and forced the gun down.

Turning to the man dressed in red, he tried to read into that face any sign of hospitality. Or anything that might indicate a region from Earth whose language he could attempt to use. A distinct Middle-Eastern nobility decorated the lines on his face, so he made his start there, with the language of his birth land. "My name is Daniel Jackson. We are peaceful explorers from Earth and mean you no harm."

The man interrupted, speaking so quickly Daniel barely had time to catch his phrases. "You have come to us at last, Golden One. Great Mother spoke often of your arrival. She said that you would come to us through the Chap'pai. We have spent many years traveling here in search of you. Many doubted that you would ever come to free us from the demon." He approached, grabbing Daniel by the arm and pulling him-as well as Jack-up the sandy slope towards a herd of animals. "Come! You must be weary from your journey and in need of care."

Jack tried to stop their forward motion but Daniel's grip tightened on his hand and the sand deterred him. "Doctor? What's going on?"

"They want us to go with them, Jack." He spoke sharply, holding onto him even tighter. "We'll talk in a moment, I need to concentrate on his words."

He stayed silent, glancing back at Janet and the men. With a few hand gestures, he let her know that she was in charge. They were to stay there and set up a base camp. Although he doubted that this was a good thing, he trusted Daniel's judgment. He just didn't think he was supposed to be going with them. The leader had focused on the linguist and dropped his guard, as though he knew the man.

"Come, you will ride."

"Excuse me? But what shall I call you?" He hesitated in his pronunciation but attempted to speak a language they had only studied up until then.

The man was surprised to be acknowledged by their liberator and was silent. Finally, he swallowed and introduced himself as Kasuf. A young boy, with bright eyes and dark hair, approached them with a large beast. "This is my son, Skaara. Please, up."

Exchanging a wary look with Jack, Daniel clambered up on the beast, feeling graceless when Jack simply swung himself up and on in one smooth motion. Kasuf's eyes narrowed in suspicion and Daniel pointed to his friend. "Protector, Jack."

The look lightened, though the suspicion remained present. "There will be a great feast in your honor, Golden One."

"Please, it's Daniel, Kasuf," he repeated, uncomfortable under their stares.

Kasuf's head tilted as he shrugged and gestured to Skaara. With a first jerky motion, the beast began to slowly move over the sandy land following the boy's lead. The journey made conversation between the native leader and Daniel difficult, so Jack cleared his throat. "Enlighten me, doctor, as to what we are doing."

End, Act 1.


	2. Chatper Two

Thanks, Aerafel. I hope you enjoy this part as much as you did the first piece. :-)

_What just happened: The journey made conversation between the native leader and Daniel difficult, so Jack cleared his throat. "Enlighten me, doctor, as to what we are doing_."

After a moment, he answered slowly, trying to correctly phrase his answer. "I'm not sure. Kasuf, he's the one who did the talking, mentioned that they've been expecting us. Or rather, me for some reason. He thinks that I've come to free them."

"From?" he prodded impatiently.

Daniel shook his head, troubled by the words of Kasuf. And still angry at Jack for his changed attitude towards him. "I don't know. My grasp on their language is only rudimentary. It doesn't resemble anything that we've worked out Ancient Egyptian to be. They seem to have a few similarities, enough that I can somewhat get by but not enough to make any accurate assumptions about their situation. It really is fascinating to see how the language has evolved, free and independent of other languages. Though I am assuming that this is the dominant, if not the only civilization here."

"I see," Jack felt an answer from him was required.

His companion's head shook, "no, Jack, I don't think you do. And what's with all this 'Doctor Jackson' anyway?" he snapped, glaring back at him.

The colonel was startled, "it's who you are."

"But never to you, Jack." Once more he emphasized the name, almost viciously, as if he needed to drive his point home. "From day one, I was Daniel to you, remember? I was never some nameless, formless brain whose talents you only needed for a little while."

"That was before," he started, only to be interrupted.

"Before what? Someone shoved a poker down your back?" Daniel spat out, "try to remember who this is you're talking to, Jack. I know you. I'm your friend first, team member second."

He sighed, praying for patience. "Daniel, I cannot allow myself to see you as anything other than that while we are here. People who didn't understand would think I was playing favorites, which would reflect badly on your position and anything you have to say. Besides, thinking of you as anything more than a member of my team could result in a dangerous situation should the worst happen. They could use that against us. It is a weakness I cannot afford, nor can you."

"It isn't a weakness, Jack. Why can't you see that?"

"Why can't you understand that in this I know what I'm talking about?"

"Because you are wrong." Daniel stated, "whether or not you actually see it, your behavior denigrates my place on the team. The others already see me as a liability, your attitude only confirms that."

"That's not true."

"You are all military, I am not." His words were blunt, "of course its true."

Any further conversation ceased upon arrival in the village. It was not very large by Earth standards but for the desert like planet, it was rather big. From outward appearances, it was not a prosperous place but it was far from being uncomfortable, though the closeness of the buildings made Jack's feelings of unease increase. Once the beast stopped, he descended first and extended his hand to help Daniel down.

"Welcome. Please, follow me." Kasuf slowed his words, aware by now that they were unable to follow his flowing, rapid speech.

Skaara took care of the beast, then followed them, curiously eyeing the strangers-especially the taller fellow who let the smaller man do the talking. It was odd that the man who led the others they saw would do so. And what was so important about this weaker man with the round discs on his face that caused his father to risk the wrath of their god by welcoming them to their home? For he knew that his father did not trust the other man.

Meanwhile, Jack was taking in as much as he could to draw a picture of their current situation and draw some conclusions. The lack of specifics troubled him, so he made special notations about quick escape routes. It wasn't that he didn't trust Daniel's abilities, he just didn't like the unknown.

And without an effective mode of communication to their base camp, they were basically at the mercy of these people, though he found it hard to bring up more than a slight suspicion about them and their motives in bringing Daniel and himself there. He was also pretty sure that he could get them back to the pyramids if push came to shove. It was the getting away cleanly that worried him.

Hurting innocent people had never been on his agenda, though that sometimes happened despite the best of intentions.

Daniel stared, fascinated by his surroundings. This was a dream come true. Everything he'd ever read or studied was before him in full living and breathing detail. He was actually seeing a human culture as it was before progress, war, and greed tore it to shreds in an attempt to recreate it in the image of its conqueror.

"Amazing," he breathed, stopping to watch the normal, everyday activities taking place, undisturbed by their arrival. Children played in the roads, not bothered by the harsh traffic that plagued children back at home. It was just incredible. A woman wove wool, while another died it in vibrant shades of blues and reds. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that turned his head. His breath caught in his throat at what he saw.

In the shadow of the doorway, a woman of indescribable beauty stood. Her dark hair encircled her face in a frame, highlighting her dusky complexion. Eyes as dark as her hair watched him with equal wonder. It was as if they knew each other somehow.

"Daniel," Jack's low voice cut through the haze clouding his mind. The linguist responded to the warning and joined him, walking away. "I don't think our host liked the way you studied her."

He flushed, "I meant no offense towards anyone."

"I know that. But then, as you pointed out earlier, I know you."

From that moment on, Daniel did his best to focus on their situation, not what was around him. At one point, during the feast, he'd tried drawing for them. The paleness of the assembled stopped him, and the quick way they destroyed it, put both men on alert.

"Taboo?" Jack muttered.

"Obviously, though I fail to see why. They've all had some education, why take something so basic away from them?"

Jack shrugged, tensing when a group of women approached them. After studying Daniel's posture, looking for some indication of what he wanted, he decided for them both. Resting a hand on his shoulder, he stopped them from being separated. "Oh, I think not, ladies. We stay together."

They may not have understood his words, but the look was clear. Uncertain, they turned to Kasuf, who gestured that they should leave. After a tense pause, they reluctantly did so.

Daniel was torn between irritation and relief. Just how did Jack think he was to do his job if he denied him the opportunity to go anywhere without him? Then again, did he really want to be alone in a place where he couldn't communicate with anyone? Especially if Jack was right and he had broken an unspoken rule? And how would he save himself if looking at that woman the way he had was committing some other offense?

"Did you want to go with them?" Jack asked, picking up on his vibes.

Daniel shrugged, not really wanting to go into it. He only spoke up when Jack just looked at him, "it might have helped me figure out what's going on. But, if as you said my writing was taboo, I don't want to be separated from you. What do you think is going to happen now?"

Jack shrugged, standing up when it looked like the festivities were done. "I'm going to try to get in touch with Captain Kawalsky, see how they are holding up."

"Why?" he rose and studied him, "think something's wrong?"

Again, he could only shrug, "not sure. Just have this bad feeling and we did leave rather abruptly."

"Let's go. As long as we stay in sight, there should be no trouble," he elaborated when Jack gave him a questioning look. "What? Think I'll stay here after your charming display back there?"

"Worried I might leave you to the mercy of a bunch of women?" Jack teased.

He shook his head, "women I can handle. Overbearing, mother hens who pretend to be colonels, is another matter entirely."

Jack couldn't help it, he laughed.

Kasuf watched both men, confusion on his face. His heart was also sore with worry. The shorter man was definitely the liberator, yet he was not what he expected. But neither was the taller man. Was their god testing them?

"Good father, what troubles you?" It was the woman Daniel had seen earlier.

He turned, squeezing her hand. "I fear that I have brought the wrath of mighty Ra down upon our heads for bringing them here."

"Why would you say that? Do you not believe the prophecy?"

"I do. But neither men match what I believe our savior would look like. Ra must be testing us."

"He is not. The prophecy never said it would be one man. Separately, they are weakened by their own abilities. Together, they will accomplish much." A woman, wrinkled and bent with age yet seemingly ageless, spoke with quiet authority.

"Great Mother," they jumped in fright her appearance.

She waved off any attempts to do her homage. "What have I said of such things?" Her voice held a more than a astern warning, something else was coming with Ra as well. "Their friends must be brought to safety. Send them somewhere, he returns."

"I will take them." Skaara's voice announced his presence. He had made up his mind and threw his lot in with the strangers.

"It is too dangerous," Kasuf began.

"As will I. They should go to the sanctuary caves," she spoke over her father. "Come."

"They will not understand." Kasuf warned.

"We will make them," Skaara spoke with such determination that Kasuf believed him.

"Go before it is to late. Not only does Ra come but a mighty storm brews." With the Great Mother's blessing, Kasuf let them depart. "They shall be fine, I could not have chosen a better pair to help guide them. Trust them, my son."

The two natives approached the men, taking in the protective stance of the older man towards the other. Skaara drew nearer the taller one, liking the way he stood. This was a man few would trifle with and win easily. His sister found the shorter man more intriguing. He was gentler but stronger than the warrior in some indefinable way.

"Greetings. We will take you and your friends to safety," she spoke softly, slowly, puzzled when the blonde one blushed.

Jack sighed, nudging Daniel none too gently. "Daniel?"

"Dan'yel?" she repeated slowly, testing the name.

He flushed, nodding his head. "Yes, that's me. And this is Jack."

"Shau're," she introduced and repeated it for his benefit. "Skaara."

"Professor, would you care to enlighten me," Jack's voice was dry.

"Oh, sorry. This is Shau're and Skaara, we met him earlier. You know, our guide."

"And?" he prompted.

"I think they're going to take us somewhere else. A safer place."

"Why?"

Confused blue eyes met his, with some impatience. "I don't know. Why don't I ask them? Which is what I was about to do before you interrupted me."

"Colonel? Colonel O'Neill. Are you there?" The radio crackled to life, causing all four to jump in surprise, though Jack quickly disguised his reaction.

"Kawalsky?" he barked, stepping back a bit to allow Daniel to do his job.

"There's a storm coming our way. What should we do?"

"Set up camp inside...what?" he snapped when Skaara's hand clamped onto his arm, the dark head shaking an emphatic no. "Daniel?"

Turning away from Shau're, he spoke apologetically. "Sorry, Jack. I just figured out where I went wrong. See, I had the language right but the pronunciation was wrong. Its amazing they were able to understand anything I said considering how wrong I was about certain syllables and the emphasis I put on my accents."

"Ah!" he interrupted. "Not much of a help right now. Can you speak to them?"

"Yes," he was irritated by the lack of interest Jack was showing for his discovery. "They want to take us to a safer location. Whatever it is they fear is coming-and will arrive at the pyramid, which is why we can't stay there."

"Right," Jack turned on the radio. "Listen, Kawalsky, gather everything-and I do mean everything-and meet us outside the pyramid where we first encountered the natives."

"Sir?"

There was a question in his voice, Jack's only answer was a vague, "I'll tell you once I know."

"Understood."

"O'Neill out."

"O'Near?" Skaara attempted the odd name. It felt heavy and odd on his tongue. It meant less to him than the other name had.

The man simply patted his shoulder, then gestured that they should get a move on it. Skaara took the lead, moving them rapidly along a shorter route. "We must hurry, it approaches."

Jack nodded, understanding the tone. Taking a firm hold on the straggling archeologist, he kept him from falling to far behind. Shau're thought it was funny, but there was a soft light in her eyes that made Daniel feel better about himself.

He was charmed by this woman before him. No other woman had ever been able to affect him like she did. When Jack let go to help his team, he walked to her. "Would you teach me?"

She frowned, puzzled by his words until the meaning became clear. A feeling of pride filled her. This beautiful man wanted her, a lowly woman, to teach him. For a moment, she thought he was not serious but his eyes told a different story. Dan'yel honored her.

"Daniel," a female voice broke into their silent communication.

Shau're turned and saw a woman with hair the shade of dull flames walk over. Irritation and fear ran through her, this was a rival for the attention and affection of this man.

"The colonel wants you to deal with your books. Said you brought them, you should carry them." The strange woman continued to speak, not even taking notice of the hostile look she was receiving.

"Oh, he did, did he?" Daniel snapped and glared at Jack, before turning to Shau're and Skaara, taking a moment to introduce them to Janet. "I'll be right back."

Shau're watched his walk unsteadily down towards O'Near. Her brow wrinkled in confusion as the two appeared to be fighting but a familiar sound caught her ear. Looking up, she saw the large, black cloud that was nearly upon them, "Dan'yel!"

They looked up at the sound of her voice, the tone enough for Jack to shove some of the books into his own pack. "Tell Skaara to lead. Doc, you and I will watch our backs. Let's move it, people."

Though they didn't quite trust the strangers, they followed his lead. Janet walked by Jack in silence for a while, studying the tableau before her. "Are you sure of their motives?"

He shook his head, "I don't feel any reason to fear them, the opposite in fact. I keep having to remind myself that things aren't always what they seem to be. What do you think?"

She caught Sara's eye, "I think that our good Doctor Jackson is smitten with the woman but I sense no reason to be wary. Nevertheless, I wouldn't drop my guard."

"Neither would I, if this subject is open for debate."

"It is," he replied with a faint smile. Both women's intuition had saved his butt more times than he could count. Having them along really made things easier on him. "Hey," he barked, "eyes were they belong unless you no longer want them. Understood?"

"Sir!" It was amazing how quickly they lost interest in their study-and subsequent undressing-of their new acquaintance. There were few rules the Colonel had that he personally enforced, but the ones he did have were followed to the letter. Respect for women was high up on his list and his reputation was enough that no one wanted to know what happened if they tried to bend it.

There was a reason he was chosen for the most dangerous missions. And had one of the highest kill ratios they knew of.

Upon reaching the safety of the caves, Daniel drew Shau're and Skaara closer to him. Jack watched them for a moment before handing out assignments and setting up camp. Once it looked like the military personnel were done, Daniel made his way towards the colonel. "According to Skaara, we're on Abydos. We visited the village of Nagada. There's a cave not far from here that Shau're says has some of the information I was asking about earlier. When the storm clears, she'll lead me there."

"What of the boy? Skaara?" he asked, passing him a cup of coffee. "With little knowledge of our language and vice versa, we won't be able to communicate."

"He's actually picked up enough phrases and isn't afraid to draw to get his point across." He held up a hand, knowing Jack would interrupt. "I know, but I doubt he'll want to stay and watch me stumble through a bunch of writing. He finds you fascinating, though I can't see why."

Rolling his eyes, Jack turned to watch the group. "What of this unknown enemy?"

Daniel shifted restlessly, "haven't gotten that far yet. I just figured you should know what was going on."

"All right, keep up the good work, Doc...Daniel," he corrected, seeing him stiffen. _Why is this a problem for him? Would he allow a member of his archeological team to use such familiarities_? He wondered, not realizing that Daniel was thinking the exact same thing, though it wouldn't surprise him.

"We on our own for dinner?"

Jack nodded, "thought it would be for the best considering our circumstances. Besides, our food may not agree with our guests."

Janet approached them, "sir. Daniel."

"Doctor, what seems to be the trouble?" he ignored Daniel's frown.

"Nothing's wrong, sir, but both Lieutenant Kawalsky and I feel that there's something amiss. We should have a watch-even with this storm, sir."

"Very well, should I join you or have you already worked out a schedule between yourselves," he asked.

"We just need your approval, sir."

He shook his head, not bothering to hide his smile. "Daniel, if you would excuse me?"

"Just one more thing, how far are we going to involve the Abydonians?" He waited until Janet was out of earshot before asking. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, it was just that he'd rather have Jack's opinion on the matter first.

The colonel studied the pair and thought about the villagers before answering the question. "I'd rather not involve them anymore than we have to but I have a feeling that our decision won't matter in the end. They'll want to be a part of whatever we do."

Daniel nodded, "that's was my estimation of things as well. Jack, what did General West give you?"

He shrugged, "orders for if things go horribly wrong."

"You haven't looked?" Daniel asked, surprised by this blind acceptance.

"I'm a soldier, I follow orders."

"You are also human and capable of making up your own mind," he retorted.

"Not when my life isn't the only one at stake," Jack's snapped answer was final and he walked away leaving Daniel watching him in concern. Somehow, he knew there was more going on than his friend let on.

Deciding not to worry about it, Daniel turned his mind to the puzzle that was their situation. How was he to get them home when the path was blocked by lack of writing? And what was blocking them anyway? Why would they not speak of it? Hopefully this cave of Shau're's would hold the key to unlocking everything for him. But if there was a ban on language, was it even possible to hope for a solution to be found there?

If it didn't, how would he ever face Jack again?

Janet sighed, entering her third hour of watch. So far, nothing had occurred under the other watches and she was beginning to wonder about her feelings earlier. Her ear twitched and she glanced towards the cave's entrance, drawing into the shadows, noticing something. A figure appeared out of the swirling sandstorm dressed in strange full body armor.

Slipping the safety off her gun, she crept up behind the person and barked out a terse, "on the ground. Now!" The figure dropped and she was surprised by the alacrity with which he did so.

"Ke'l'ma," he gasped. "Ke'l'ma."

"Daniel?" Jack asked, coming over to them. Dropping to his knee, he made a thorough search for weapons, relaxing slightly upon finding none. In the back of the cave, the others waited, weapons in hand and watched.

The linguist yawned, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know. It could be just about anything," he stammered, brain still trying to wake up.

"Any ideas?"

"Sanctuary? Refuge? From his behavior, I'd say its one or the other." Daniel moved forward and knelt down by Jack's side and smiled at the dark man. "Hi. My name's Daniel Jackson. What's yours?"

"Teal'c," he responded, not moving from his position.

"You speak our language?" Daniel was pleased and surprised.

"Indeed. I know many languages."

Jack cleared his throat, "Teal'c, what is it that you want from us exactly? And how did you find us?"

He turned his deep eyes towards the colonel, studying him. "As DanielJackson has said, I seek sanctuary."

"From what?"

"Jack," Daniel warned.

The eyes remained locked on him, "I wish to be free from the false god Apophis. He engages now in battle with his enemy Ra."

Jack glanced at Daniel, noting the thoughtful look on his face. "Mean something to you? Because I'm drawing a blank."

"It might, Jack, it just might," he murmured.

When nothing else escaped his lips, Jack turned back to the big man on the ground. "And you found us?"

"I did not know that anyone would be here until I smelt the remains of a fire burning."

He glanced at the dead fire and looked at him skeptically. "You could smell that?"

"I have many abilities beyond your understanding." Teal'c answered, no arrogance in his words. There was no reason for it. It was truth.

With a sigh, he stood up and reached out a hand, helping Teal'c up. Janet kept her weapon trained on him as Jack passed him some water. It was then that Skaara made his way forward, eyes trained on the symbol Teal'c bore on his forehead.

"O'Near," he whispered, "he is one of them."

Jack reached out a hand and rested it on the boy's shoulder, squeezing it. "No offense here, Skaara, but I have no idea what you're talking about."

"He is Jaffa!"

"Jack, I think this man is their enemy. He's known as a Jaffa," Daniel responded automatically to the question in Jack's eyes. Something that happened a lot lately, he'd have to question it later. "Don't ask. I have no idea what that means."

"I am one of the guards of Apophis. Specifically, I am his First Prime. We are bred to carry the larval form of the gods within ourselves." He drew the chain mail covering away exposing an x mark on his stomach. They winced back when something popped out. Once it withdrew, Teal'c covered the mark again.

"I'd get rid of that thing if I were you."

"I would die without it."

"Bad deal," Jack muttered, waving Janet off. "All right, we only have a few hours until sunrise, so I suggest we get some rest." The team took that as their sign to go back to bed, though they remained on alert. "Teal'c, were you followed? Should we expect more Jaffa tonight?"

"No. They are celebrating the small victory we won."

"I see," he dug his toes into the hard sand, thinking. "How far away is your camp?"

"We have no camp. Our battle was fought in space, though Ra may have landed."

"The pyramids, Jack."

He nodded, remembering Daniel's theory about them. "Why would you want to leave the service of this guy, Apohwatsisfish?"

"Apophis," Daniel corrected.

"Him."

"He slaughtered my family to ensure my loyalty to him alone."

"Not exactly the best way to win any fans," Jack muttered.

"It is the law. I married a woman of lesser rank compared to my own."

"Its actually a common practice, Jack. The Romans used to do it, before they decided to outlaw marriage for their soldiers entirely." Daniel warmed to his subject, ignoring the blank, uncaring look on Jack's face. "It was normal among the Spartans. They used to marry the best and strongest to create more powerful children, trying to weed out the weak."

"And look where they are, dead."

"Well, yes. But for a time it worked. Both civilizations had nearly undefeatable armies. Their people were strong and healthy."

"Sir?"

"Yes, doctor?" Jack turned to Janet, who had yet to put her gun down. "I don't think that will be necessary. Do you?"

Narrowing her eyes, she studied Teal'c. Finally, she put the safety back on, "no, sir."

"What did you need?"

"I think he should stay in the back, out of the way, just in case."

Jack slowly nodded, bending to the wisdom in her words. "I hate to do this after you've come to us in trust, but I'm going to ask you to stay back there."

"I understand."

"Teal'c, I wish you didn't have to." Jack followed him, watching as he got comfortable in what looked like the lotus position. "Do you need anything?"

"I will be fine," he replied.

After a moment, Jack went back to the others. By now, Shau're had joined them, casting frightened glances back at Teal'c. "Jack, are you sure about this? Both Skaara and Shau're worry over his presence." _Which was a mild way of putting it_, Daniel thought wryly.

For a long moment, Daniel didn't think he was going to get an answer. But then Jack's eyes met his own and he understood-to a small degree-what was going on inside the colonel's mind. "I see. You are doing what you feel is right. Just don't get used to hearing that."

"From you? Never."

Morning After.

Charlie Kawalsky was the first man up and after casting a worried glance at their 'guest', he went to wake the colonel. With a tiny nod of thanks, Jack shifted the sleeping Janet off his shoulder. She went with minimal fuss. "I think a cold breakfast is best. I'll get the coffee going before I attempt to wake Daniel, then I'll talk to Teal'c. We need to have a better picture of our circumstances."

"Think there's no way out?"

Jack shrugged, he was currently going through his pack, trying to find the special blend he'd brought specifically for his archeologist. The boy was hard to get up and, after their late night, Jack felt the need to bring in a superior piece of ammunition. "According to Daniel, who got it from Kasuf-sorta-our arrival was foreseen. We are to free these people from something. Besides, if the fighting is centered at the pyramid, we'd have to fight anyway. How's Sara? She didn't seem well earlier."

"She claims its gate travel," Charlie said. "I made her promise to see Janet if it got worse."

Jack nodded, grimacing at the pain in his neck. Falling asleep while leaning against a cave wall was never a good thing, why did he always forget that? "Daniel? Its time for you to go cave hunting," he spoke softly, holding the coffee cup in front of him.

It was amazing how the promise of searching the unknown and a good cup of coffee woke him from his near death like sleep. He reached for the cup and inhaled it, opening his eyes to watch Jack walk away. After a moment, he woke up Shau're, knowing Skaara would wake himself up.

"It will be my pleasure to tell you all you wish to know of our mutual enemy, O'Near." Teal'c's deep voice rumbled in the cave, waking the rest of the stragglers.

"O'Neill. Jack O'Neill," he corrected absently. "Is there a way to avoid fighting these guys? What are they anyway?"

"No, especially now that I have disappeared. My master will think that Ra has taken me prisoner and will stop at nothing to get me back. They are false gods."

"I got that but what are they called?"

"The Goa'uld."

"Can they be killed?"

"Yes. But they can be brought back."

Jack blinked, "okay. That's a problem."

"How?" Daniel asked, startling Jack, who hadn't heard his approach. "Sorry, how is that possible?"

"They have many advanced technologies. One of which is the sarcophagus."

"Aren't those just fancy coffins?" Jack murmured.

Daniel nodded, "yes. But part of what they did was serve as the doorway to eternal life." He shortened his explanation, knowing by now that Jack just wanted the bare facts.

"I see," Jack turned back to Teal'c. "What makes you think that we can help you?"

"You made the Chap'pai work without their help. Both Ra and Apophis have no knowledge of your presence."

"And we just happen to be here," the colonel muttered under his breath. "I'm not promising anything but I will do my best to help you."

"We all will, colonel," Kawalsky corrected.

He studied his friend for a long while, then the rest of his team. "I can't in all good conscience order you to do this. In fact, I won't."

Sara smiled, "you don't need to."

"And if you think I'll let you go in alone, sir, you're crazy." Ferretti said, adding, "with all due respect, of course."

"Besides, this will be our home if I can't find the symbols for our own world," Daniel added soberly over the laughter.

"Kid's got a point, colonel," Kawalsky said.

"Yeah, he usually does." Jack sighed, "okay, Daniel, go with Shau're and Skaara to this cave. Once he sees the general area you'll be in, he can come back. If anything happens and we have to move, I don't want to waste time running through a labyrinth looking for you."

Daniel rose and left with the two Abydonians, though a part of him wanted to stay and question Teal'c a bit more.

Jack looked at Kawalsky, "take the rest of the team on a recon. I want to know where they are, what their forces look like. You know, the usual suspects. Doctor, Lieutenant, get the medical supplies ready for whatever. I'm going to need you to serve as both soldier and medical experts. Teal'c, what kind of weapons and soldiers are we dealing with?"

Later On.

It was much later in the week when Jack found a moment for himself. Things had come to a head, now their time to make their move was almost here. Teal'c had proven himself to be an able helper and was working with them on their aim so that every shot counted. He had also led them on a few raids to pick up a few of their weapons, teaching them to use them.

But this revolution fell under the heading "unexpected". This wasn't what he had expected when given this assignment. And he knew this mission for what it was, a swan song for Jack O'Neill.

Sighing, he buried his head in his arms and thought about what he was about to do. But there really was no other choice, he had made a sacred vow to serve and protect life, no matter where it was found.

"Jack? Is something wrong?"

Daniel. No surprise there. What surprised Jack was that he had pushed aside the excitement of his discovery and sought him out. Without a word, Jack rose wearily to his feet and walked away, knowing he would follow. Once out of earshot, he passed the sealed envelope over and waited.

Daniel accepted it with trepidation. There was something in Jack's face that said he wasn't going to like this. After a moment, he pried open the lip and read it, his lips thinning as he processed the information. "Jack, you can't seriously be contemplating this."

"I may not have a choice, Daniel," he spoke the words listlessly.

"Do you know what this says?" he demanded, thrusting the paper into his face. "Have you any idea?"

Tired eyes met his, "of course. It's my marching papers. To tell the truth, I'm surprised they took this long to come."

For some reason, the sheer apathy of Jack's reply cut through the haze of his anger. "How can you just sit there and contemplate ending your own life?"

"After the life I've led, how could I not?" he shrugged, "it's what I do, Danny."

"And what? Am I supposed to let you? Sit on this knowledge and keep quiet?" Daniel was horrified, repulsed. "I don't believe you. What kind of person do you think I am, Jack O'Neill?"

Brown eyes met the blue ones, startled by the disgust in them. Yet he knew it wasn't directed at him but the situation. "The kind of man who will get my team home. A brave, honorable man-if slightly geeky."

"I am not going home without you, Jack. So, you'll just have to come up with a better plan because if you do something stupid and get yourself killed, I will follow you. I will not live with the knowledge that I could've done something to save you. Don't you dare put that burden on my shoulders."

"We may not have a choice," Jack reminded him, stunned by the force behind the words. The belief this man had in his abilities overwhelmed him.

"You better make some then, O'Neill, because I will not accept this!" Daniel ripped the paper in half and threw it down, spitting on it. With one final look at him, he left Jack alone.

Resolution.

The ships exploded in one giant fireball, showering the sky with fiery light. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c stood on the steps of the pyramid, watching as the villagers cleaned up the last of Ra's men. Shau're pushed her way through the crowd and looked up at Daniel. He returned her look with a smile.

"See, Jack, I told you there was a better way. One that didn't involve you dying."

"No. You died instead, saving my worthless self." A sharp whack on the back of his head caused him to glare at the younger man.

A glare Daniel matched with his own, "don't be an idiot, Jack. And don't say its part of your job because I know better."

"Never could fool you, Danny. What are you going to do now?"

By this time, Shau're had joined them. "I'm staying here."

"Will you be all right?"

Smiling at the beautiful woman on his arm, Daniel knew that Jack needed no other answer. "What about you?" he asked after a moment.

There was no reply. "Jack?" he faced him.

"Daniel?"

Shaking his head, the doctor knew his answer. He watched Jack join his team, unable to shake the feeling that he would not be seeing Jack again.

"DanielJackson, are you unwell?"

"No. Its Jack," he murmured.

"There does seem to be some uneasiness around him."

"Hey T, Daniel, why don't you guys join the celebration? Then, its time to go home."

"I have no place to go."

"You can stay at my place."

Daniel shook his head, "unwise. I doubt that our government will trust him. They would make his life a living nightmare. No, he should stay here with us. We could use his help."

"I would be honored to stay here and help you, DanielJackson."

"I'll miss you, big guy. But Daniel is right, as usual."

Standing in front of the event horizon, Daniel stood beside Jack. The colonel smiled at the younger man, reading the worry in his face. "Don't worry, Danny, I'll be all right."

Daniel could only give him a doubtful look, "see you, Jack."

With a shake of his head, Jack disappeared.

End, Act 2.


	3. Chapter Three

Two years to the day Daniel had watched Jack disappear, he stood in front of the gate again. By unspoken agreement, the gate was not used unless he found something of worth to the government of the United States. Of course, Jack found a way to send him coffee and other necessities every few months. Daniel found it best not to think about how the colonel was getting away with it.

Turning his mind back to the gate, he thought about the cartouche and its information. Granted, they might not find a list of hundreds of gates fascinating or of real worth but the places they led to might interest them. Possible words to colonize. Minerals to be mined and found. Other technologies that could significantly improve living conditions or defenses because that is what the military world would be interested in.

There was a rumble and he leaped back, startled when the gate activated. It wasn't time for the "deliveries" from Jack, as he thought of them. He quickly took refuge just outside the doorway, prepared to run if necessary. A figure emerged after the wormhole stabilized, a tall man that Daniel didn't recognize. Dressed in fatigues, he was obviously in charge of the rest who came through the wormhole after him.

"Dr. Daniel Jackson?" He asked, examining him once he'd walked back into the room, a questioning look on his face. "Colonel Frank Cromwell. I have come to take you back with me to Earth."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't think you should treat Dr. Jackson that way." An attractive blonde woman spoke from the colonel's right. Daniel glanced at her, seeing the intelligence in her light blue eyes. He also felt a kinship with her, recognizing a kindred soul in her.

"When I want your opinion, Captain Carter, I'll ask for it," he snapped.

"Sir!" she saluted sharply, casting an apologetic look at Daniel.

"Dr. Jackson, your things?"

He looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What of them?"

"Go get them so we can leave," he spoke impatiently.

"What is there about me that screams military to you, Colonel Cromwell?" Though he tried, he couldn't quite keep from using his 'does it look like you're impressing me?' tone of voice.

"Excuse me?" he said, eyes wide at the impudence of this man.

Daniel's smile was cold. "I think you heard me the first time, Colonel. I am not military, therefore I am not required to bark on your say so."

"That's not the way it works, Dr. Jackson. You are an employee of the government now. Besides, having served under Colonel O'Neill, you should know that," his reply was icy.

"Not served _under_, Colonel, I served _with_ him. There is a difference, though I would hardly expect you to understand that."

"But you are a citizen of the United States and required to obey the law of the land."

"Not since I have taken up residency here. General West explained things to me very clearly. I am legally dead in the States," he reasonably pointed out. "However, I will go back if Jack O'Neill comes for me." The respect he felt for Jack went unsaid but Cromwell heard it clearly, Daniel was not going to obey him.

He took perverse pleasure in telling him, "Jack O'Neill disappeared almost two years ago."

Daniel barely prevented his shock from showing. "Then we have nothing further to discuss unless you are willing to send in someone else from the team I worked with."

"Please, we need your assistance. A few days ago, this creature came through our Stargate and took a friend of mine." Captain Carter spoke up. She knew that they needed his help and walked up to him, handing him a picture she'd gotten Siler to develop for her from the security footage.

It was grainy and unclear like all security photos but Daniel recognized him instantly. "Apophis," he breathed. "This changes everything."

"Why?" Cromwell was suspicious of this sudden change. "Do you know this man?" He almost reached for the restraints, wondering if the two were working together.

"He's no man. He's a creature of evil, he claims to be a god." Daniel explained, knowing Cromwell's thoughts. "This was one of the beings we battled with after we arrived." This was something that had bothered both Jack and him, they knew for sure Ra was dead. They had watched him die before their eyes, but they had wondered about Apophis.

"Colonel O'Neill's report said that you killed him." Captain Carter's voice interrupted his wandering thoughts. "Are you saying that he lied?"

Daniel's head shook, "no. We weren't sure if we got both of them, only that Ra had fallen."

"Ra?"

"Apophis' enemy." Teal'c spoke from the shadows. "I feared that Apophis had fled when the battle turned against him. He rarely stays close when the battle heats up."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I had no proof, DanielJackson."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Colonel Cromwell, Captain Carter, and company, this is Master Teal'c." Daniel introduced them, catching the impatient look on the Colonel's face. "Teal'c, this is Colonel Cromwell and Captain Carter."

"I am honored to meet you, ColonelCromwell. CaptainCarter."

"You're the alien traitor O'Neill spoke off. He's to come as well." He nodded decisively at one of the men and he came forward.

"Wait just one minute, Colonel Cromwell," Daniel snapped, angry at his high handed behavior. "I agreed to go with you but Master Teal'c is under no obligation to do so. Now, unless you know the gate address for Earth, I hold the only key home. I will not use it unless you leave him alone."

"DanielJackson, I do not mind."

"But I do. And I'm sure that if Jack was here, you'd get better treatment-especially when you gave your all on an unknown element. Besides, they aren't going to ask for your help. Rather, they'll lock you up and use you like a lab rat. They would not treat you with the respect you deserve nor will they care about you or your needs."

"We do have standards, Dr. Jackson," Captain Carter protested.

"None of what has just transpired would convince me of that, Captain Carter. Only Jack and his team were decent towards him and the people of Abydos," he snapped.

"Enough!" Cromwell bellowed, "we'll play this your way. For now, Dr. Jackson."

Teal'c's head tilted, he tensed. Suddenly, he grabbed Daniel and pulled him away from the Stargate. "We must get away from here. Follow me."

Daniel let Teal'c lead the way. Over their two years there, they had explored the pyramid and found many escape hatches and hidden rooms. Though he knew the place well, the Jaffa had taken it upon himself to memorize the layout and placement of the most secure places.

For a moment, Colonel Cromwell debated but followed. This was their home and the Jaffa had picked up on something that they couldn't. O'Neill had reported such things to them. It was something that they'd doubted was possible. Now it seemed as though he was not exaggerating but was truthful. As they exited the room, they heard the whoosh of the gate. Moving faster, they headed down one of the hallways to one of the burial chambers.

Daniel went towards the wall and slid a few tiles into new positions. Silently the wall slid open and they entered the darkened chamber. Once the door had slid shut, the archeologist pressed something and faint lights began to glow along the walls.

"Dare I ask where we are?" Carter spoke into the silence.

"We're in one of the chambers where the dead pharaohs rested, awaiting mummification." Daniel replied, glancing at Teal'c nervously.

"I am sure they will be well. The motion vibrators should have alerted them to the gate's second activation. Since we did not return, they would know that it means danger. They will seek sanctuary in the caves or the deepest recesses of the mines."

"What are you talking about?" Cromwell demanded to know.

"When we decided to stay, Jack suggested that we find a way to warn us if the gate activated. Teal'c mentioned the vibrations of the gate and we found a way to use that to alert us of the gate's activities. When they've left, we'll go back out and see what they've done."

"Has this happened before?"

Daniel's head shook, "no. Only time the gate activates is because of Jack."

"But you knew there was a chance this Apophis guy escaped and didn't think to warn us?" Cromwell harshly demanded. "Didn't you think we might be interested in knowing of that danger?"

"No. But I knew that Ra and Apophis were a part of a dying race of parasites. It wasn't hard to assume that there'd be more of them. Besides, it was all there in our mission reports," he spat out tersely. As far as Daniel was concerned, Colonel Cromwell was proving to be no friend. "You know, the ones that I referred to and you had to have read them since you know Teal'c."

"How do you know that?" Carter asked, trying to diffuse the situation.

"In the cartouche room where I found the first six parts of the gate address, it told the story of Ra and his race. It spoke of how the people of Abydos came to be here on this planet. The story also told of how we on Earth-called the Tua'ri by many races-rebelled against Ra. He outlawed reading and writing to avoid the possibility of another uprising happening here."

Teal'c spoke up, "unlike many Goa'uld, Ra is not into conquering all he can. He has a system of space that he is content with, though he jealously guards it against all comers. His sphere of influence is great, it covers many parts of the galaxy."

"Which includes his progeny, so his reach extends even farther."

Teal'c's hand went up in warning and they stopped everything. After a few tense moments, the hand lowered a fraction of an inch and the big man approached the door, listening for something only he could hear. When his hand dropped to his side, they breathed a sigh of relief. No one spoke for a few minutes, not willing to take a chance on the person coming back.

Daniel walked over to him, "what?"

"I do not know. Someone was out there, searching for the symbols of entry. We must find another exit to Nagada. I do not wish to take the chance that they may discover us."

He nodded and moved to the center, brushing aside the dirt. Captain Carter watched him searching before joining him, "may I be of some assistance?"

"I'm looking for a trio of Ankhs, one of them has Ra's eye in it. The eye is odd because its angled in two different directions, " Daniel replied. He was worried by Teal'c's behavior, his Jaffa friend was more worried about this situation than he would be if it was just a normal raiding party.

"Would someone tell me what's going on?"

"I fear that Apophis is selecting women to bring to his wife's symbiote to chose for her body. If I am calculating correctly, it would be time for it." His reply was blunt.

"What?" Cromwell exclaimed, moving into his face. "What do you mean?"

"When a symbiote matures, it leaves the body of the Jaffa and enters one of its own," he explained, not disturbed by the colonel's attitude. "I believe that DanielJackson would have better words to describe what occurs."

"Dr. Jackson?"

"Yes?" he snapped, irritably. His worry over Shau're increased with every word Teal'c spoke. His wife was exactly the kind of woman somebody who claimed to be a god would want. "They are parasites, Colonel. When a symbiote matures, it leaves the Jaffa's womb. It seeks a more appropriate body, one that pleases it. They take possession of the body and shove aside the conscious mind of the person, making them a prisoner in their own mind. That person becomes a slave to that thing, watching as their own body performs under the whims of another, unable to stop it."

"I think I found what you were looking for," she hesitantly broke into Daniel's terse diatribe.

Daniel joined her and twisted the eye, aligning the eye before pulling out a medallion. Using it like a key, he pulled the Ankh up and twisted it around until a pop sounded in the room. A section of the floor shifted and rose, reveling a stairwell. Teal'c led the way swiftly through the dimness, the path only illuminated by the tiny lights provided by Cromwell's team. Once they were clear, Daniel shut the opening behind them.

The smell and sight of smoke rising in the air had them running upon exiting the pyramid. Glancing up once, they saw a large mother ship resting there. Teal'c stopped and they dropped behind the dune at his warning. Marching along the sands towards the pyramid was a large body of the Serpent Guard, in the midst of them, being dragged along, was Shau're and one of her friends.

Seeing his wife was not a surprise, he had prepared himself for that. But his fear and anger brought him to his feet. His movement caught her eyes, she whispered one desperate, 'Dan'yel' before turning away. Heart breaking, he lowered himself back down. Cromwell indicated that they were to split up, two of them should follow and see about finding the gate coordinates, if they could. The rest would go to Nagada and see about the survivors.

Daniel and Captain Carter headed after them. It took all his strength to not rush to her rescue, he knew full well what her message was. '_Stay. Do nothing. Our daughter has need of you_.' She had silently pleaded with him, '_come when she is safe. I will fight and wait._'

Staying hidden, they heard Apophis tell them to take them to the planet for choosing and not up to his ship. Committing the address to memory, though everything within him yelled to go after her, they quietly left the building. '_Jack? Why aren't you here when I need you_?' he thought.

656

_Jack stopped talking, his fork poised in mid-air. He stared at Sara blankly._

_"What is it?" she asked when he continued to sit there._

_"Someone's calling me."_

_"Janet?" she asked, knowing that he feared for his girlfriend whenever they were parted._

_He cocked his head, listening intently. "No. I think its Daniel."_

_"But he's safe. On Abydos."_

_"Is he?" he demanded. "Then why don't I believe that? He's calling for my help, I can just feel it."_

_She chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, debating her choice. "Charlie said that a group of beings came through the gate a few days ago. They killed some soldiers and took one prisoner."_

_His brown eyes closed, "who went for Daniel?"_

_"Colonel Frank Cromwell," she winced at the dark scowl of rage that crossed his face before he schooled it into a picture of calm. "Daniel will be fine, he survived you, didn't he?"_

_"More like I survived him," he muttered before slowly agreeing with her. "I guess you're right."_

_Sara knew he didn't truly believe her or what he said but that was fine with her, she didn't either. "Thanks for taking care of T.C. today. Would you mind doing it again tomorrow?"_

_"You don't have to ask, I love taking care of him."_

656

Kasuf watched Daniel dial the coordinates for Earth, his daughter, Anya, in his arms. He waited for the moment when his good son would give her to him until the time he returned with Shau're. The gate whooshed to life and the young man held back his tears. This was killing him.

For the second time in as many days, he was being asked to act contrary to his nature. Consciously, he knew there was no other choice in both situations. There was no other way. Shau're would have been lost to him forever if he'd tried to rescue her. And he couldn't give his best to Anya if he was helping find and stop Apophis.

Yet his heart was breaking.

Again.

Taking a deep breath, he kissed Anya's forehead and told here once more of his love for her. Then, he gave her to Kasuf and, with Teal'c at his side, went through the gate. He was not surprised to see the waiting soldiers, guns trained on them.

"Dr. Jackson?" A man in General's uniform walked over to them, Captain Carter was standing behind him, in the shadows. "General Hammond. I'd like to apologize for Colonel Cromwell's behavior."

"Thank you, General. This is Master Teal'c."

"It is an honor to meet you, GeneralHammond," Teal'c bowed. He found this man more to his liking than both ColonelCromwell and GeneralWest. Both men had been too impatient for him and they treated DanielJackson most unfairly.

For a moment, it looked like he wouldn't reply. Though they weren't sure if it was because of his surprise or that he just didn't know what to say. "The honor is mine, Master Teal'c. Dr. Jackson, I know you haven't been on Earth in a while but would you by chance know where we might find Colonel O'Neill?"

"I thought he was retired?" Daniel said, remembering what Captain Carter had told him.

"He did."

"He's..." there was a pause, a slow smile crossed his face, "standing behind you, sir." Though he tried, he couldn't quite keep the laughter out of his reply.

General Hammond turned and saw a man in a leather jacket, standing casually in the room. He exuded a devil may care air about the soldiers whose weapons were now trained on him. "At ease," he ordered the men. "Colonel O'Neill, where have you been? We've been searching everywhere for you."

"As Daniel's pointed out, I'm retired, sir. I wasn't aware that I still needed to report all of my actions to the government anymore." Jack replied, turning to Daniel, "you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied, arms wrapped around his waist. Though he was thrilled to see him, he wasn't sure of his place in Jack's life anymore. Plus, there was the full room to consider. Public displays always left him feeling rather cold, unless there was some honest emotion behind it. He just hoped that Jack understood.

Jack studied him intently, doubtful of his answer but willing to leave it alone for now. "Coffee?"

"Please."

"Columbian Roast?"

"What else?"

And just like that, they reconnected.

"Hey, T," Jack smiled at the big guy.

"Greetings, O'Neill."

"Excuse my interrupting this touching reunion but I have a few things to say. First of all, Colonel, you are aware that this is a highly secure facility, were you not?"

"I was."

"If you've retired, why are you here?"

Jack shrugged, "heard Daniel was visiting and decided to say hi."

"Colonel," he warned, blue eyes were like glaciers.

He sighed, resigned to answering the question. "You were looking for me. As I still have clearance, I came to find out what you needed me for, sir."

"We need you, Colonel O'Neill, to resume your work in the field. Consider yourself recalled to active duty. Dismissed. Cromwell, my office."

"Yes, sir." Both men saluted automatically.

He returned it, before turning to the remaining men in the room. "Dr. Jackson, you and Master Teal'c need to be checked out in the infirmary. As do you, Colonel O'Neill."

With a sigh, Jack led them down the hall. "Did you miss me, Daniel?"

"Why would I do that, Jack?" Daniel asked, "I had my work, new discoveries, and Shau're to occupy my mind." He stopped, blinking rapidly to hold back his tears.

"Danny?" He turned to him, startled by the sound of his voice cracking and studied him, pulling them into an empty room, knowing there was something going on he was not told. "T, could you make sure no one disturbs us?"

"They shall not pass me by unless they kill me."

"Hope it doesn't come to that, big guy." He shut the door and leaned against the desk. "What happened?" Daniel sat on the couch, staring at his hands.

"Apophis took Shau're, Jack. He took her and I let him. There was nothing I could do, what with my daughter needing care and the guards. But I just sat there and let it happen, Jack," he broke down and cried. There was a movement to his right and he shifted, feeling his friend sit by him and wrap him in a strong embrace.

After holding on for so long, it felt good to let someone else be the strong one. And knowing that it was Jack made things easier for him, there would be no talk of this outside this room. "Sorry," he sniffed and pulled away, slightly embarrassed.

"For what?" Jack asked, "that? I'd be worried if you didn't cry at least once."

He accepted that, "so, infirmary. Is Janet going to be there?"

"No. She's off somewhere learning new healing technologies. There have been a few improvements in medical care due to gate travel since you've been away. The Stargate goes to more places than mother ships and Abydos."

Daniel's eyes lit up, "I know. Jack, there's this incredible cartouche of addresses on Abydos. It has thousands of gates, some don't work but that's because planets have moved over the years. Once we figure for planetary shifts, something Captain Carter and I talked about when I wondered if that's why they didn't work, we could travel virtually anywhere. Its amazing, Jack, you have got to see it."

"Why? I won't understand it," he replied, smiling at his enthusiasm.

Daniel's eyes rolled, he stood up. "Jack, you shouldn't joke about this. What I discovered is important, it changes the way we work." He paused, looking at him, fire in his eyes. "And Shau're's out there, I need to be on the team that goes after her. If she's not at the address I saw, she could be at one of the others. You have to help me convince them to add the addresses. You've got to help me get on one of the teams. I won't be left behind but I can't go with that Cromwell guy."

"And I will. But not right now," Jack stood as well and they walked out, joining Teal'c. Walking into the infirmary, they waited for the doctor.

"I do not understand why I am here. I am in perfect health. My symbiote provides for my well being when I am not."

"Its standard procedure, Teal'c. The military is notorious for their paranoia about things," Daniel replied before Jack could. He ducked the joking blow coming his way. "They want to make sure we didn't bring home anything that could make people sick."

"Then why is O'Neill here? He did not stay with us on Abydos. Nor did he travel through the gate with Colonel Cromwell's team."

"But I've been away. I might've brought something bad back with me, T. They also want to be sure that we're all right." He leaned back, the front legs of the chair lifting off the ground.

"Don't do that, Jack." Daniel smacked him, causing him to lose his balance. "Where were you anyway?"

"Traveling, mainly in Ireland, though I did stop off in Egypt and bought you some coffee. I came back to watch T.C. for the Kawalsky's when Sara got sick." He glared, then rocked back again.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" The linguist made another swipe at him, T watched them, amused.

"Who would I tell, Daniel?" He asked, smacking the hand away. "Sara, Kawalsky, Ferretti, and Janet knew, you and T were the only other people who would care. And you both were on Abydos."

"Good to see you, Dr. Jackson, Master Teal'c. You must be Colonel O'Neill, I have heard much about you, sir. Captain Carter," she introduced herself with a salute and a smile.

"Reti...oh, wait, I'm not anymore, am I?" Jack asked, looking at Daniel for confirmation. Something about Carter was familiar to him, but what?

"No." He replied, hiding a smile. Jack stood and saluted before sitting back down. Daniel whapped him hard when Sam remained on her feet.

"What?" He snapped, eyeing him irritably. The linguist merely gestured to the standing officer, knowing that Jack was contemplating doing him some harm. "At ease, Captain."

"Thank you, sir," she sat down in an empty chair to Teal'c's left, hands folded in her lap. The picture of military precision.

"So, whose the attending doctor?" Daniel asked.

"Why, honey, don't you remember me? I'm hurt," a familiar voice drawled from the door.

"Jan!" Jack was on his feet in seconds, the chair landed with a dull thud on the ground, shock and joy lighting his eyes. "I didn't know you were home."

"Oh, I'm not home until I've had one of your hugs, sugar." She replied, then found herself lifted off the ground in a huge hug. "I missed you, Tigger."

"Missed you too," he whispered. "I'll show you how much later."

"If you're not with Daniel," she replied with an understanding smile. Sara had explained everything to her after they'd run into each other. "Daniel, I heard about what happened. I'm sorry. Hey, Teal'c, how have you been?" she went on, not wanting to keep the light of scrutiny on the grieving man.

"I have been well, DoctorFraiser," he replied.

"Well, as much as I trust you, I'm paid to be the judge of that."

The linguist breathed a sigh of relief hearing that. He'd rather be examined by someone he knew that a stranger. "That's why you came back early, isn't it?"

"What? You don't think Jack is enough motive?"

"Seriously?" He pretended to ponder the question, "of course not."

"Hey!" Jack protested, laughing-until he caught sight of the shock on Carter's face. "You all right?"

"Yes, sir."

Janet stopped walking, facing her. "Oh, honey, don't call him that. It'll go straight to his head."

"But he's my superior-and yours!"

Jack took pity on her, she was not used to him and his attitudes. And though he thought it'd be fun to play with her mind, Daniel would kill him. "Captain, the government says I am your superior because I have a little more experience than you but I don't feel that I am. Trust me, in the field, I require you to obey the rules. But while we're on base, don't worry about it."

Daniel snorted, "yea. On missions, he's a different person."

"To everyone but you, Daniel," Janet called from the next room.

"That's only because he's a pain in the ass if I try to keep him in line."

"Which makes perfect sense since you are a pain in mine," Daniel replied.

Janet folded over the door, shutting them out. She took a moment to explain what she'd be doing to him. She pulled out a robe, "I'm going to step out of the room and let you change into this. You don't have a problem with anything we've talked about, do you?"

"I do not because your people find it important that I do this."

"I appreciate your attitude, its refreshing," she left him. "Daniel, over here?" Pulling back a curtain, she let him pass her by before shutting them in. After examining both of them, she left them alone to change into the set of BDU's that had been provided for them.

"Jack? You're next," she called from T's room.

"Nice meeting you, Captain Carter. Do me a favor?" He paused, catching the look in her eyes before she disguised it. It was wary and fearful, something he had not been expecting. "Make sure that T and Daniel eat something. I don't worry about Teal'c, but Daniel usually forgets that his physical self needs food."

She nodded, "I noticed that. Colonel Cromwell found it irritating."

"He would," Jack muttered darkly, rising to his feet. "Thanks. For a scientist, you aren't that bad."

"Excuse me? What's wrong with being a scientist?"

"You are all boring," he replied, moving into the room T had left. "I don't know why you all haven't put yourselves into comas with all that stuff you stare at all day long. Not to mention the long winded speeches and the big worded paragraphs you read."

Sam slowly smiled, "its fascinating, Colonel O'Neill."

His voice was muffled as he pulled his shirt off, "its dull."

"Only to those who are intimidated by it, Jack."

"Daniel? Don't help," he called out before the door closed.

"Dr. Jackson?" she began, interrupted by the negative shaking of his head.

"Call me Daniel, Captain. Or is it Doctor?" He asked, having heard that she had a degree of some kind.

"Sam," she replied. "Why don't the three of us get some food?"

"I think I'll wait for Jack," he started to say, only to hear the door open and see his friend looking at him. "What?"

"Go with the nice scientist before she decides that you'd be a great experiment. Ouch! Doc!" He was yanked back into the room by Janet.

"Don't do that again, Colonel. Or I will restrain you," she threatened. "But he does have a point. I noticed that you are starting to show the signs of malnourishment. You need the food."

"I plan to eat, Janet, just in front of Jack so that the mother hen in there won't try to force more food into me than I can reasonably handle," he smiled at the outraged gasp he heard. "Be nice to the doctor, Jack, and she won't keep you for long."

"Go ahead and laugh it up, I plan to ask good Doc Fraiser here to start testing your allergies."

Daniel groaned, "why?"

"I want you to be in the best of shape if we've got to chase old Apowhatsis around the galaxy." He quipped, knowing that Daniel would be laughing while T was shaking his head. "Besides, its part of the mother hen's job."

"Colonel O'Neill, you are impossible." Janet scolded, closing the door.

"But you love me anyway," he whispered.

She smiled, "as you do me. So, tonight?"

His head shook, "you were right, Daniel needs me more than you do. Captain Carter was telling me of their experiences and the way Cromwell treated him, I'm disgusted. I'll take him shopping and we'll do some talking."

"Then I'll watch over Teal'c, I have a feeling he's going to need it."

"Thanks, Jan, there's no one else I'd ask or trust," he squeezed her hand before holding out his arm for the needle.

"And despite appearances, I think I'll get to know Captain Carter."

"She does need a friend," he agreed, "and I doubt she'll accept mine-being extremely military, though being a scientist might temper that."

Janet smiled, "and despite your protestations to the contrary, so are you."

"Hey, that's a closely guarded secret. One I told you only under duress. No passing that little tidbit around," he warned.

"As if anyone would believe that with the way you act," she scoffed, her eyes rolling.

"And don't you forget it," he said. Once they were done, they entered the waiting room were the trio waited. "I thought I told you to eat something."

"No, you told me to go with the nice scientist. I went and we came back."

"Semantics," he muttered.

Daniel mock gasped, "oh, your big word for the day, feared I missed that. Do you want a gold star?"

"Why? Do you have one?"

He made a show of searching his pockets, sighing. "And here I thought the military kept everything, this must be someone else's suit. I'll write myself a note and get some."

"Dang, and I've been on my best behavior too," he smiled. "So, why don't we all get something to eat from O'Malleys?"

Carter was surprised, "they deliver?"

"On occasion," Jack replied. "So, orders? Or do we want to go?"

Janet blocked the door, "you do not leave this base until I've cleared you, Colonel."

His hands raised in surrender, "so, ordering in it is."

"What is O'Malleys, O'Neill?"

"A brilliant steak house, T. I sent you some a few months ago when Daniel got his coffee."

"Oh," Teal'c drew the word out, imbuing it with new meaning. "Then I wish to have two."

"Okay," Jack looked around for a pen and paper only to find Daniel holding them out to him. He nodded his thanks. "You want anything else?" he asked, after telling him what else they offered.

"I believe that I shall have this baked potato that DanielJackson has spoken of. He says that it is full of proteins and nutrients."

"Carter, you want something?"

Though startled, she thought for a moment. "A diet soda?"

Jack stared at her, "we're ordering from O'Malleys, the finest steak house in Colorado and all you want is a drink? This is free food-and it isn't commissary food-and you won't take me up on it? Are you nuts?"

"Nothing is free in the army, sir, not for a woman," she spoke bitterly.

"What does your gender have to do with anything?"

His utter bafflement caught her attention, "surely you must be aware of how women are treated in this _man's_ army, sir."

"Jack doesn't mean to be oblivious about the behavior some men hand out to women, he just is. And anyone who runs into him, well, they usually end up treating women like equals. He has a way of inspiring terror in them, though why they should fear him is beyond me. Anyway, there have been some who've tried to get away with it and haven't been seen again." A voice spoke from the door.

"That's a vicious rumor," he muttered.

"And if you're offering, Jack, I want a hamburger and fries," the voice finished, ignoring his comment completely.

"Always open for you, Sara." Jack walked over and hugged her. Now he knew why Carter looked familiar, she could pass as Sara's younger sister. "Whose watching T.C.?"

"Dad."

"O'Neill, get your hands off my wife!" Kawalsky hollered from down the hall, "you had your chance."

"Kawalsky, Ferretti. Want O'Malleys?" He offered, shaking their hands, after letting go of Sara.

"You are a god, man. We've been dying for some real food," Ferretti mock bowed.

Jack laughed, "shove it, Ferretti, you're going to kill my reputation."

"And what is that? Soft touch to meet soft brain?" Janet asked, "put me down for fries and a dish of lasagna."

"Right. Carter, you sure you don't want anything else?" he asked, concerned.

_But you've given me something precious, respect without question_. "Let the others order and I'll get back to you."

He smiled, "good. Daniel?"

"One steak and a baked potato. Do you suppose they'd put cheese on it?"

"I don't see why not," Jack wrote that down, "You guys want your usual?"

"Yes," Kawalsky agreed after conferring with Lou. "Do you want us to pick it up?"

"That'd be great, thanks. Carter?"

"Lasagna sounds great, but I'd like a salad. For the moment, I'm supposed to avoid potatoes," she quickly added to avoid any attempts to talk her around the salad.

"Let me guess, Dr. Warner?" Janet snorted, "don't change it, Jack. She's not under my care yet."

"Got it. Would you like anything, General?" he asked, not looking up from his writing.

"No, thank you, Colonel. But I would like to ask why you are all still in the infirmary when you have no reason to be here?" General Hammond asked, "take this into conference room 2."

"Sir!" The six soldiers saluted sharply while Daniel and Teal'c nodded. Exiting quickly, they made their way into the empty room. Jack picked up the phone and placed their orders, then paid for it.

"It should be ready by the time you get there. Did you want to take my truck?"

"It would make things easier," Kawalsky said, taking the proffered keys. "Everything okay?"

"Yup, they know you're going to pick it up and my card cleared." Jack nodded, "does anyone know anything about this General Hammond?"

Carter nodded, "he and my dad go way back. I've only occasionally met him. General Hammond's a good man, fair minded and reasonable."

"Drinks?" Daniel suddenly said, "we forgot about them."

"Well, Carter's getting her diet soda. And since we're on base, no alcohol is allowed so I got you coffee and T some juice. Janet is getting some ice tea as for Sara any myself, water. Is that okay?"

"Perfect," Daniel spoke for them all. He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. Though his heart ached and he missed his home, there was a sense of belonging here. Feeling a familiar presence by his side, he relaxed further. Jack would help him, in return, he'd find a way to give Jack back his life.

End, Act 3.


	4. Chapter Four

It took them two days to get ready, but they were finally underway. Sam stood in the control booth, talking to Sergeant Davis, making sure that he had the correct coordinates and that their GDO's were in working order.

"I just hope we're not to late," Daniel spoke softly, eyes fixed on the gate's motions.

"One way or another, we'll get through this," Jack promised from behind him. He glanced up from tying his bootlaces at him. Teal'c stood impassively to their right. Kawalsky and his team walked in, nodding to the three of them.

Daniel nodded back, glad when Jack stood up and joined him. "Thanks, Jack."

"For what?"

"Believing in me enough to get me on your team."

"You earned it," Jack replied. "And I know you won't believe this, but I trust you."

"SGs 1 and 2, you have a go," Hammond's voice came from the loud speakers.

"Shake a leg, Carter," Jack called.

"I'm right here, sir," she said, entering the room.

"Then let's go. And please remember, no flash photography," Jack quipped. "This is supposed to be a serious mission." Without a doubt, he walked through the gate, Daniel by his side. Following after them was Carter and Teal'c, then SG 2. "Teal'c, do you know this place?"

"Indeed."

"Then as soon as Daniel figures out the correct point of origin, you take point and lead us to our dear, old friend, Apowhist. Oh, how we missed him."

"We did?" Daniel muttered from his position, "funny. I don't recall that."

Only chuckling a little, Jack resumed his speech. "SG 2, hold the gate but lay out a few land mines. I want to be prepared if we run into our other friends, the Jaffa." He watched them move out, listening as the major gave orders before turning to Daniel. "Any luck?"

Daniel nodded, "this is rather fascinating. It takes into account the shifting of gate positions, almost as if the gate builders knew this would happen. I know that the Goa'uld have advanced technology but they didn't make the gates. The cartouche definitely showed that they found them. And since we didn't find a dhd on Earth..."

"Daniel, can you get us home?" he interrupted.

"Yes."

"That's all I need to know. Remember, we only have 48 hours to do this. Tell Kawalsky and Carter, then we need to move out." Jack walked off.

Daniel sighed, defeated. But it was only temporary. From past experience, he knew that Jack would find a way to bring this topic up when time wasn't so tight. Still, it irked him that his friend only revealed his grasp of things when no one else was around. Yet, it also pleased him that he got to see a side of Jack that no one else did.

"He's rather abrupt, isn't he?" Sam asked, coming up behind him.

Daniel faced her, shielding his eyes from the mid-morning light. "He's got a job to do. I thought you would understand that."

"Calm down, I'm not criticizing."

"I realize that, I'm sorry," Daniel apologized, as they moved towards Major Kawalsky. "You interested in my theory?"

She nodded, "it would explain a lot of things. You were also right about planetary shift being a factor in why the gate wasn't working. By the way, weren't two of those symbols part of the address we used when we left Abydos?"

"Yes, they were. The only thing that's different is, as Jack mentioned, the point of origin."

"How did he know that?"

"We talked about it once," he shrugged. Once he had given them both the desired information, they joined Jack and Teal'c on one of the summits. "Now what?"

"Teal'c?"

"This way. We will know what the situation we will be entering into after we see the condition of the village," he explained, slipping into the forest.

"Kawalsky, stay down if you can. Call in 24 if you don't hear from us. Same warning signals if things get bad. Or you see anything suspicious."

"You got it, Colonel." Kawalsky turned to his team even as they disappeared. "You heard the man, keep the lines open and don't use them for any unnecessary chatter. Try to remember that, while this planet may resemble home, it is not. We don't know customs, so we want to be as alert as possible without attracting any attention."

It took them three hours to get to the village and Teal'c indicated that they should take cover. Jack gestured for Carter to go with Teal'c while he and Daniel went the other way. "We'll meet back here in an hour-unless we meet on the other side before then."

They separated and moved along with only a thin line of foliage to cover them. After a few minutes of silence, Daniel whispered, "do you have any idea what you're looking for?"

"I thought you did. Didn't you talk to Teal'c?"

"Jack, why would I do that? I thought we were going to go to Apophis' palace and see what was going on, not study a village," he was exasperated. "Aren't you supposed to be taking these things into consideration? You are the Colonel."

"Well, you're the anthropologist. Any ideas?" Jack asked, stopping to face him.

He thought for a moment, "well, if the choosing has taken place, there would be a celebration. But I don't hear it. If its taking place, then there would be signs of the people preparing for it. If its over, we'd see signs that they were celebrating."

"Colonel O'Neill, Captain Carter here. Better double time it and join us, sir. Teal'c says there's something you should see."

"Understood, Carter. What's your position?"

"About seven klicks east of the town's center." Before he could respond, she spoke again. "Teal'c says to cut through town. If you're careful, they won't pay you any mind."

"Gotcha, give us a few." Jack rose, "let's go, Daniel-and be careful."

"So says the man with his gun at the ready," he replied, eyebrow raised in question. "I thought Sam said we should be careful."

Waving a hand in surrender, Jack let the P-90 fall to his side after making sure the safety was locked down tight. "Let's go."

Though he didn't like the look of the gun still in plain sight, it was better than nothing. With the possible appearance of enemies, they needed to be prepared. Side by side, they made their way through the village, Jack following Daniel's example. He kept his eyes focused on the path before him and moved forward until he saw Teal'c rise slightly and wave them over.

With a firm hand under Daniel's arm, they moved towards the spot he had just been. "What is that?"

"The sign of Heru'ur, another one of Apophis' enemies."

"Another personal enemy?" Jack asked, "how many does he have?"

"There are 2 still alive, Heru'ur and Sokar."

As much as Daniel wanted to ask for more information, this sign may signal a serious change in their current situation. "What does this mean? This sign of Heru'ur's presence?"

"That if the captives were with Apophis, they no longer are."

"Colonel," Carter spoke up, "over here."

Without question, he made his way over to her position.

"Listen," she whispered before he could ask what was up.

The four of them listened carefully, moving forward to hide as they did so. "There it is again, sir."

"What is it?" he asked, looking back at Teal'c before continuing to move in the direction of the sound.

"An execution line."

"Shau're," Daniel breathed. Only Jack's hand on his shoulder prevented him from breaking cover and going down. "Jack!"

Though the colonel winced away from the sound of betrayal in his voice, he held on. "Think, Daniel. It will not help if we don't find out where and who is in that line. For all we knew, Harem-utsis was taken captive by Apophis and they are being shot. Its possible, right?"

"It is." Teal'c's reply was solemn.

Reluctantly, Daniel listened to him and settled down, following them. They moved towards the sounds, splitting up into 2 groups. "If you see anything we can use, take it," was Jack's final order.

He and Daniel stayed back and watched Sam and Teal'c move slowly down towards the sounds. "Daniel, call Kawalsky and warn him. I'll keep watch."

The linguist did no more than nod, which worried Jack. "Major, we have a new enemy. Well, he's really not ours, his name is Heru'ur."

"Copy that, Dr. Jackson. Any orders?"

He looked at the colonel questioningly. "Jack says no. What's your situation?"

"That Apophis guy came out of the gate about five minutes ago. We stayed hidden but I told Garrett to follow for a while, let us know if he meets up with anyone. No sign of hostages."

Blue eyes closed, tiredly. "Okay. Thank you."

"Sorry, Doctor J," he said, sorrow in his voice.

"I know."

"Kawalsky? Did Apophis come through with a large group of Jaffa?" Jack suddenly asked.

There was a moment of silence, "no. There were only 3 or 4 with him."

He accepted the radio from Daniel, nodding his thanks. "Stay where you are. If Garrett gets more information, let us know. Same signals."

"Yes, sir."

"Teal'c? Carter? Did you get that?"

"Indeed. He does not know of Heru'ur's arrival."

"And the small guard?"

"Day of choosing."

"All right. So, the symbiote hasn't chosen its new body. Lines open but be cautious," he warned before shutting the communication down. "Let's go, Daniel."

"He'll take her, I know it."

Jack kept silent, just lent him his strength. They made their way up and looked over. "She's not down there."

"Are you sure?" he asked, not wanting to look at the fallen.

"Yes. Teal'c? Is there a back way into the complex?"

"Not from your position."

"Then you and Carter get in, see what you can find out."

Daniel spoke up, "can you see the group below? Is Heru'ur among them?"

"He is the man in gold using the hand device to torture them," Teal'c's voice was calm.

"Thanks," Daniel said, "be careful."

"We will, Daniel. I have a friend at stake too." She ended the conversation, turning to Teal'c.

"Now, I will procure disguises while you strip yourself of all unnecessary items and clothing." He was already in the process of taking off his vest. "Place them where they will be safe and their weaknesses will not be exposed. I do not want to be rendered defenseless."

She only nodded, following his lead. He disappeared after spotting something below them, leaving his zat'nik'atel with her. Oddly, she preferred the smaller weapon to the P-90. It was silent and smaller, definitely more lethal, and one did not need to hit the target directly in order to nullify the threat.

Once everything was ready, she hid herself in a small crevice. A movement to the left caught her eye and she reached for the radio. "I see Apophis," she bit out the warning before turning it off. She curled in further, trying to make herself as small as she could.

Teal'c was on his way back when the warning came. He knew the terrain but wouldn't be able to hide in time. "At least I die free," he fiercely spoke, going on to meet his fate.

Sam waited, tensed when Apophis paused not far from her place. What could she do with only a zat against 4 Jaffa and the headman himself?

Teal'c turned the corner and she stiffened, didn't he hear her? Was this just some big plan of theirs to get their secrets? She shook that thought off, knowing that it wasn't Teal'c's way.

"Teal'c, you are not dead," Apophis' voice was pleased. "You have returned to me."

"I have not," he said, firing on the Jaffa.

Carter leaped from her position and shot another one. Throwing herself up and into a roll, she picked up a staff weapon and hit their second one-even as the last Jaffa fell.

Apophis grabbed hold of her behind his force field. Using the staff weapon, she shoved one point into the ground and the other up under his legs, yanking as hard as she could. The shock, rather than actual pain, caused him to let go of her. Flipping back, she grabbed the zat and hit him with one blast, watching him drop.

"Come on, CaptainCarter. Heru'ur would have heard this and we do not want to be captured." They scrambled around a few rocks, somewhat slowed down by the uniforms Teal'c had.

Once they were a safe distance away, Teal'c helped her change into it, then got into his own. "Colonel, we're fine. Apophis is down and we have a way in."

"Good. Daniel wishes you luck."

"Thank him for me, sir."

Whether by fate or just mere dumb luck, they were able to get back before Heru'ur showed up with his Jaffa. "You both did this?" there was doubt in his voice.

"We caught him by surprise," Teal'c replied stoically. "But our helmets were struck by their staff fire and will not open now."

Heur'ur nodded slowly, "you three go with them and take Apophis to my throne room."

They picked up the Jaffa who still lived and Apophis and carried them off to the fortress. Sam stayed close to Teal'c, wondering how they were going to break away from the others. But she knew that she needed to trust him, he must have some plan.

Once Apophis was deposited, they were given orders to get their helmets fixed. "The harem quarters are this way," he said, striding forward.

"I don't like the sound of that," she muttered. "It is so degrading."

Teal'c said nothing, not knowing what to say to this statement. He was still dealing with this new version of her. Nothing in his experience as First Prime of Apophis, nor had his time on Abydos prepared him for a woman like CaptainCarter. Though he knew that SaraKawalsky and DoctorFraiser were trained to fight, in the battle on Abydos, they had only defended. Their healing skills being the more important thing. But this woman had fought-and fought well. She was a true warrior.

He found it...fascinating.

They peered in, searching for any familiar faces. "Is there another room?" she whispered.

"Only where the rejected are. They are no longer among the living," he gently added. "But your friend might be in the dungeons."

"Why would she be in there?"

"To break her of her fire," he led them down through the maze to the dungeons.

"What of Shau're?" she asked, though she had her suspicions. His silence confirmed her feelings and she felt bad for the young man who was becoming the brother she'd always wanted but never expected to have. They searched the dungeons and turned away, "she's not there."

"I am sorry," he said, leading her into another chamber. "We do not have enough room but taking these would be a good idea." He opened a storage box and handed her a few small globes.

"What are these?" she pocketed them like he showed her.

"I believe that you would call them grenades."

She smiled, "the colonel will appreciate these."

"We should go," he replied, removing something before they left.

"What was that?" She knew she was repeating herself but she had to keep talking. It was better than thinking about the fate of her friend.

"I will explain later. We must inform O'Neill and DanielJackson of our discovery."

"Right," she followed him down the hall. "What about Apophis? Won't he tell Heru'ur about us?"

Teal'c shook his head, "it will not serve him to reveal anything."

She noticed that they were going in the opposite direction. "Where are we going?"

"To the rings. We will beam up to Apophis' ship, from there we will beam up our friends. It will be safer."

"Won't the use of the rings give us away?"

"Not when we use this dampener. Nirti developed it for use in stealth attacks when she and Apophis were allies. She is what you would call an inventor."

"I wouldn't have thought Goa'ulds made alliances. From what Daniel has said, they are an arrogant race of beings."

"Nirti is different. She wishes to pursue the perfect host and army to serve her before she conquers on a large scale." They stood in the center of the rings and he activated the device. "Release one of the grenades after the rings have disappeared once we are on the ship."

Nodding her understanding, Sam followed his instructions and turned it on.

"Be sure to avert your eyes. Our helmets will only protect us to a certain extent," was the last thing he said before they disappeared from the building.

Releasing the 'grenade', it knocked out all the Jaffa in its range. Carter opened the helmet and looked around, "there don't seem to be a lot of them for a mother ship."

"This is not a mother ship, it is a smaller vessel. I felt it would be best. Our number is not sufficient enough to take over a mother ship."

Pulling out the radio, she called the colonel and told him what they had done.

"Excellent work, guys. We'll pick up your equipment. How are you going to get us all without revealing yourselves?"

"This ship has stealth technology, sir."

"Roger that," he and Daniel made a retrieval run. "Kawalsky? Got your ears on?"

"We read and will be ready."

"Leave one of your men behind, just in case." He instructed, then gave Carter the all-clear sign. It was an odd sensation to feel the rings surround them and lift them up off the ground. "Okay?"

"We're fine, sir," she answered, holding out one of their new toys. "Teal'c says this is their version of a grenade. It's effective and knocks out the enemy through the use of a powerful light and some kind of waves that affects their minds."

"Later, Carter. How was your recon?"

"We didn't find who we were looking for."

Jack nodded, "Apophis?"

"Is in Heru'ur's custody, sir. But there were many people in the dungeons and in the harem."

"We can't leave them there, Jack."

"I know, Daniel."

"It would not be advisable to attempt a rescue when both Heru'ur's man and the men of Apophis are here. With Apophis in custody, Heru'ur has the right to claim his men as his own."

"Couldn't we set them against each other before we rescue them?" Kawalsky, whose team had just beamed in, asked.

Teal'c thought for a moment, "it would necessitate freeing Apophis."

"We do have enough armor to conceal our identities, sir," Carter inserted, "and a silent ring system."

"I assume that this ship could pass for either side to shoot indiscriminately," Kawalsky semi-asked.

"Indeed, I chose it well."

"With Daniel and Teal'c's help translating, I think I could modify the shields to protect us from the blasts of other ships," Sam suddenly exclaimed, knowing that lessening the death toll would help to sway Jack.

Daniel placed his hand on Jack's shoulder, "he knows where Shau're is. Please, Jack."

"You really want to do this?" he asked each of them. "It may be my decision but I want your input."

It was silent before Kawalsky spoke up, "they may not be from Earth but they are people, Colonel. We cannot turn our backs on them."

"All right, we're down to 32 hours. Daniel, you and Teal'c get started on the translations. Carter, plan out what you need, prepare for any emergency. Kawalsky, your team should get some of the serpent armor and hope it fits us. I don't want all of us down there, so use some common sense. Teal'c, when you feel Daniel is comfortable with the language-and you will tell him, Danny-I want to know the layout of the fortress.

"Ferretti, with me. I want to be sure that there aren't any hidden surprises waiting for us. Move it, people, we only have a few hours to implement this and get it done before our window home is closed and sealed forever. I really don't want that. Or explain this ship if we have to fly it home." Then he looked around, "think the general would mind if we brought this ship home?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't. It does match with our standing orders of procuring technology to fight the Goa'ulds. But then he'd have to explain its presence to the President. He might not appreciate that, sir."

"Which he might pass on to you," Daniel added.

"Well, it was just a thought." Jack followed SG2 out, leaving behind his team. It was a smaller ship but was more secure than other mother ships. "Think Teal'c chose Apophis' escape vessel?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Lou muttered. "He has an odd sense of humor."

Moving silently, they examined it inch by inch. A movement to the left had Ferretti raising his hand in warning. Jack covered him as he scurried to the other side. Moving closer to the inner wall, they looked in and saw a female Jaffa waiting by a sarcophagus.

Jack moved back and stifled a groan, letting his head hit the wall lightly. With one motion, both men clicked their radio switch twice in warning, then turned them off. Ferretti reached for his zat, nodding that he was ready. Taking a deep breath, he first placed his gun on the ground. For now, they needed her alive. "Excuse me? But I'm new around here and can't seem to find the bathroom. Would you help me?"

She stood up, anger on her face. "Jaffa! Kree!"

"Hey, I was just asking," he dived down as the bolt flew past him and hit the wall. Another shot was fired and this one hit his shoulder. He rolled out of the way, taking cover by the sarcophagus. Lou didn't hesitate once the zat had appeared, one shot and she dropped. Without making sure that he'd hit her, he fired on the Jaffa they hadn't seen standing guard at the wall.

"Shake it off, Colonel," Ferretti said, approaching him.

He groaned and rolled over, slowly getting up. "I hate those things. Teal'c, we have a sarcophagus in here. Would you come and check it out?"

"I am on my way. DanielJackson and CaptainCarter have almost finished their preliminary work."

"Kawalsky?"

"We're good, though I'm really sick of hearing the word 'kree.' What's it mean anyway, doc?"

"Any number of things. Stop, attention, kneel, fool, get moving, infidel, listen to me, stand up straight, that kind of thing."

"Sorry I asked, we'll be at the Pel'tac soon."

"That's great. Once we get this done, I want to see how well it works. We could probably use some of this technology to modify our existing ships."

"I just hope we aren't giving Apophis any kind of advantage, Sam."

"We'll deal with it if we have to, Daniel," Jack said. "Everyone's good, though, right?"

"Yes, mom," Kawalsky quipped, "with all due respect, of course."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Kawalsky?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't make me hurt you."

He laughed, "Sara would use you for a throw rug if you did, sir."

Teal'c walked in, "you wanted to see me?"

"What do you know of this?" Jack gestured to the sarcophagus.

He read the writing, "this is Ammonnet's. She is the wife, consort, of Apophis." Seeing the fallen woman, he knelt down and rolled her over, reaching into the pouch on her belly. "She still carries the symbiote."

The sound of the sarcophagus opening had them reaching for their weapons. Inside, a woman lay sleeping deeply. "Teal'c?"

"I sense nothing dangerous. She is clean."

"Daniel will be thrilled," he started to speak when her eyes opened. "Shau're?"

She screamed, scrambling out of the box before his voice penetrated her panic. "O'Near?"

"Yeah, it's me. Let's go," he helped her up and they left the room. Behind them, they heard the door close and a zat fire upon it. "Teal'c?"

"I did not think it wise to let the mature symbiote be free. They jump."

"May be we should just kill her?"

"Why not give her the chance to turn away from the false gods?" he asked. "I am not the only one who believes them false."

"True," he replied.

"You may also question her for the information your government seeks."

"I guess." Still, he couldn't help but feel uneasy at the thought of letting her live. They made their way to the others.

"Jack, I think..." his voice trailed off as his face paled, "Shau're?"

"Dan'yel!" They stared at each other before Jack helped her walk to him.

"I found her and thought she looked like she needed a good home, so I wondered if you wanted to keep her." He removed his arm and replaced it with Daniel's. "So, Carter, what do you have for us?"

"It took a little doing but I was able to figure out how to do it. They should work for a short while before failing," she answered.

"How long?"

"An hour, at most."

"Well, hopefully we won't need a lot of time to get in, free ol' Apo, and get him to another ship-with his friends from here." He studied them, before sighing and getting on with this assignment. "How many uniforms did you get?"

"4, sir."

"Teal'c?"

"That will be sufficient."

"Very well. You, me, Kawalsky, and Mills will go down. Carter, you and Ferretti will provide air cover for us. Get in as many shots to both sides as you can. Daniel, help them out. Keep Shau're close, she may be helpful in relaying messages between us. Garrett, how's the gate?"

"Inactive, sir," came the sharp reply.

"If things change, head for higher ground, then leave once its clear. I want no heroics."

"Understood, sir."

"We'll try to guide the captives towards the gate, do not interfere unless you see Jaffa. Alert us and use the mines."

"Roger that, sir."

656

"Well, that wasn't a complete bust. Where's Shau're?"

"Sleeping."

"You okay?"

"It was too easy, Jack." Daniel sighed, "as much as I wish it were otherwise, it was just too easy to find her. Call me a pessimist, but I keep waiting for something to go wrong."

There was silence. What could he say? He'd been feeling the same way himself.

"No!"

They leapt to their feet at the scram and grabbed their weapons. Rushing towards the sound of the shout, they saw the 2 Jaffa from the sarcophagus room holding Shau're in the rings room.

"I knew we should've killed them," Jack cursed himself. "Let her go!" He raised his P-90, training it on them, wishing that they'd thought to bring a zat with them.

"No. She pleases me." They used her body as a shield, knowing that the two humans would never fire on them with their odd weapons as long as they were behind the woman.

"Dan'yel!" She pleaded with him to end this stand-off, to kill her and free them from this fear.

The guns dropped after a few tense moments, Jack following Daniel's lead. "I'm sorry," he whispered to his wife. "I can't."

They could only stand and watch as the rings activated and they disappeared from sight.

656

They stood in front of the gate in the embarkation room, staring at it after the last captive had been sent home. The confiscated ship was safe in area 51. "You did good work, SGs 1 and 2. After your post mission exam, you are free to go home."

"Thank you, sir." Jack said, eyes never leaving his friend. "Daniel?"

"She's out there somewhere, Jack."

"Yes, she is."

He looked at him then, a hopeless desperation for comfort and promise in his eyes. "So, what are we going to do, Jack?"

"Find her, of course."

"And if she's Ammonnet?"

"It's a big universe, Daniel, surely someone will know how to free her from the snake." He squeezed his shoulder, "come on. It has been a long day and there will be more of them, we need food."

With one last, longing look, Daniel followed Jack.

End, Act 4


	5. Chapter Five

Thanks k and banner. Hope that the twists it takes will not scare you off. My writing sometimes makes certain turns that might make people uncomfortable.

Author's Note: This is just vignettes and retellings of certain eps that needed retelling in order to work them into my universe. Some episodes did not happen to SG-1, other SG team had them. I'm pretty sure that you'll figure out which happened to them. Anything before season 6 is up for rewrite. I'm not going to write out the title of the eps, but may use them as chapter titles. If it's to confusing that way, let me know.

Also, I placed "Beneath the Surface" before "Divide and Conquer", "Upgrades" did not happen. I'm not fond of that episode. Though I do like the fact that Daniel doesn't back down when that jerk called him a geek. And when they ordered the steaks? The look on the waitress' face was priceless.

6 change of episode.

656 change of scene.

Story:

6

General Hammond read the last report with a sigh and stood up. His first contact team's latest mission would make a great science fiction story, if only it weren't true. They waited in the briefing room for him to dismiss them for the day. From his vantage point, he could see his colonel was blowing bubbles at Dr. Jackson. Where he got the bubbles, the general thought it best not to ask. The doctor was fighting a smile and ignoring him, which only made the colonel misbehave more.

On the other side of the table, Captain Carter sat. From the way she was gesturing, she must be explaining some theory or other to Teal'c, who listened most attentively. Once again, George wondered about the Jaffa's intelligence. They had been allowed to give him some cursory tests, things that allowed them to better understand his physiology but any prolonged testing had been met with strenuous objections from several people. It hadn't surprised anyone that Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson were the most vociferous, but Captain Carter's actions did.

In a matter of moments, the four of them had formed a tight bond.

As a good commander, he should probably split them up. But as a commander who had seen the danger in his base, he would not. The four were a team in good ways. If it looked like it was going to become dangerous, well, he'd answer for his decision then.

"Jack, behave yourself," Daniel warned, finally turning on him. It surprised Jack so much that he lowered the bubble wand. In an instant, he was pelted with bubbles.

"No fair!" He yelled, making a leap for the bottle and wand.

General Hammond decided that it was time to enter. He knew that it would only take a few more seconds before his room became a war zone. There were still some spots on the wall where Jack's juice filled water gun had hit. Unable to explain what had happened, they had just left it. "Settle down," he barely refrained from adding 'children'. "I won't keep you much longer but I have one or two questions that I must ask."

"Sir?" Jack asked, eyes twinkling. "How can you possibly have any questions after reading the novels Carter and Daniel provided for you?"

"Sir!" "Jack!" Twin voices rang out in protest.

"Be that as it may, I do." He intercepted the note Jack had passed to Daniel and read it, his face impassive. The note was typical of the colonel, he decided to get his questions asked and answered before he lost any more control. Not that he ever had any illusions of having any when SG-1 was in a mood. "If you died, how is it that you are here? My other question is, will the Nox have any further contact with us?"

"No idea," Jack replied. "Daniel?"

"Well, all I know is that they are very powerful when they've united. Separately, they have some power but only in unification can they restore life. As for the second, I don't think they will until we prove ourselves," Daniel paused. Looking around, then at Jack, he quoted softly, "The young seldom do as they are told."

"What?"

"It was something one of the Nox told me," Jack replied.

"Any other insights?"

"Only that if they had any technologies, we would not be able to understand them."

"All right. You have the rest of the week off. See you Monday," he waited until they were at the door. "And Colonel?"

"Sir?" He gestured for them to go out, knowing that they'd wait for him.

"Don't try. I will always be able to take you down," he saluted.

Jack saluted with a startled look, "yes, sir. Want to join us for dinner? Free, good food."

"Not this time, Jack." He watched them leave, knowing that one day he would feel comfortable enough to accept the invitation. And he couldn't wait.

6

Teal'c watched as his team entered the elevator to go home. As much as he would have liked to join them, he needed some time to meditate and refresh himself. His symbiote was behaving in an unusual manner. More active than normal since their time in the labyrinth.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with us?" Carter asked.

"I am. I feel the need to Kel'no'rem. Good evening," he bowed.

"Night, T." They chorused, for once adopting Jack's name for him.

Teal'c entered his quarters after seeing them disappear behind the doors. It had been a long mission and one which he was glad was over. Though his face had never shown it, he had been worried by his inability to leave the maze.

And Daniel's sacrifice had touched him.

With one shot, he gave up his wife's only path to freedom. It confirmed that he had made the right choice. He realized that not all the Tua'ri were like those on his team and their friends but they gave him hope. With them, the false gods would fall. On that thought, he allowed his mind and body to connect and he relaxed.

Once the doors had closed, Jack looked at them. "My place?"

"I think my apartment would be better, Jack. I had someone drop off some groceries for me when I knew we'd be going home for sure," Daniel said.

"Smart," Carter complimented him. "Who do you get?"

He shrugged off the compliment easily, still not used to them. "Usually Janet or Sara does it for me, they know what I like, although I've had Siler do it once or twice. Or may be that was Walter Davis. Anyway, I know who they are. I do worry about letting strangers into my house."

Jack tuned them out, knowing that Daniel wanted them at his place for another reason. It was **his** place. He wanted to be in control of the conversation that they had coming. After what he had asked him to do, Jack didn't blame him.

Destroying that machine destroyed any chance they'd found so far of freeing Shau're. It was cold and cruel. He was willing to take the lumps Daniel was preparing.

After Dinner

Jack and Daniel watched Carter walk to her car. "Why didn't you trust me?"

"What do you mean?" he countered, watching the car back away and leave, waving once.

"That's why you asked me to fire. You thought that I would put Shau're before all else. My love for her would make me behave selfishly. That even though Teal'c is my friend, I would rather Shau're live than him. Admit it," he replied, heading back into his apartment.

For a moment, he debated about lying to him but gave up any desire to do so. Lying wouldn't work and would only be seen as the ultimate betrayal of Daniel. "I deny nothing. The thought crossed my mind but because I know you, it didn't find a home-until you hesitated." He waited until they were in the apartment and the door was closed before speaking.

"I hesitated for one reason and one alone-I knew that if I destroyed the device, I would be leaving a whole civilization vulnerable to the Goa'uld. Though you gave the order, I followed and the blame for damning them would be **mine**." Daniel's adamant declaration rang through the foyer. "Teal'c is my friend too. And even were that not the case, Shau're would never forgive me if I sacrificed a good man's life to save her own. She would not want her freedom at such a price."

"Daniel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't judge you based on what I would do."

His eyes narrowed, "well, I'll forgive you for what happened. But will not accept the second part of your apology. You could no more have left him there than I. It isn't your way."

"It was once."

"I'm not denying that," he replied.

Jack smiled reluctantly. "We are an odd pair, Dr. J."

Daniel snorted, "I'm perfectly normal. You're the odd one." He ducked the affectionate swipe at his head. The phone rang and he picked it up, "I'll tell him. Good-night."

"Tell him what?"

"Sam's home, safe and sound, mother." Daniel teased, "are you going to want coffee before you go?"

His head shook, "I'll see you, Danny. One question," he waited until his friend looked at him, "whose really the mother around here?"

The sound of Daniel's laugh followed him out. "Don't forget to call, Jack." Daniel said, leaning into the window.

"I won't, mother." They grinned, before he started the motor. "Don't dwell on the mission."

_Easier said than done_, Daniel thought as he locked the door. _I just can't shake the feeling that we've caused some irreparable damage_.

6

Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, and Carter drove away from the courthouse, relaxing and joking. "That was a most interesting ceremony. But are all such blessed events so rushed?"

"No, Teal'c. Usually a wedding is planned and people go all out for them. When I was engaged, it took me a month to plan out the invitations, the place, and where to register for gifts. But it also depends on the couple and what they want for their day." Carter replied, glancing up at Jack, "what about you, sir?"

He smiled, "Janet's the one to ask that. I keep asking but she keeps telling me no. Of course, if you meant to ask about the Kawalskys' wedding, I would be more than happy to share that experience with you. I was Maid of Honor, you know."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Daniel muttered dryly.

With a twinkle in her eye, Sam winked at Daniel. "Its no wonder she won't. She probably doesn't believe that you're being serious. Or plan the whole thing out, forget to show up on the day, and then claim she knocked you up and refused to make an honest man out of you."

Jack's laugh filled the car, "I would indeed-except I don't think Janet's that much of a medical marvel."

"You're forgetting the Stargate, Jack," Daniel commented.

"Thanks for that comforting thought, Daniel," he grimaced. "I'll sleep much better knowing that the possibility is out there now."

"Always happy to help," he smiled sweetly.

"Sure you are," he drawled. "I believe the Littlefoot's wanted to do it this way because they had already waited fifty years for it. The Kawalsky's had a military wedding. Full honors and everything. My grandparents, on the other hand, eloped. They just declared they were man and wife in a room full of witnesses. Apparently, they had to do it twice because they were in the wrong part of the country for it to be legal."

"Gretna, Jack?"

"Not exactly, but close enough." Of course, his grandparents had married centuries ago and hadn't walked the Earth in at least 2 centuries. But that wasn't something he was going to share with his team. It wasn't time. Seeing that place, he remembered a time when it had a happier and safer place-a place called Tara.

"Jack," Daniel's worried voice broke into his thoughts. He laid a comforting hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

He mentally shook himself, "fine. But a little tired. Food?"

"Can't. My dad's coming for a visit. I want to pick him up from the airport," Sam regretfully turned him down. "My turn's here."

Nodding, he made the turn and asked Teal'c, "you?"

"I must return to the base. General Hammond has requested that I discipline certain Marines for their behavior towards some of our number."

Jack grimaced at the thought. "If anyone can show them the error of their ways, its definitely you. Daniel?"

His friend yawned and blushed, "sorry. I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Good idea," he replied. Walking into his house after dropping them off, he shrugged out of his jacket and turned on the television. When nothing caught his eye, he turned the set off and went upstairs to shower but changed his mind.

Changing into some old clothes, he attacked his backyard with a vengeance. Down came the large, overhanging branches his neighbor had been complaining about. Then he turned his attention to the leaves and started to make a pile of them, also making sure that he'd taken care of the ones in the front yard. Once he bagged them, he mowed both lawns.

"I thought I heard you killing innocent beings. Do you think its fair to them? They can't fight back."

He turned at the voice and smiled up at Janet before going back to weed pulling.

She joined him and helped him work. "This isn't good for your recovering knee."

"I know," he sighed.

"Hard, isn't it?" Her inquiry was soft, they had talked a little after they'd returned.

"Janet, how do I know that place? I mean, I know that we're older than most beings..."

"Less of the old, Jack. I have quite a ways to go to catch up with you."

"Okay. But I don't believe I've ever been to that place. Yet I know its real name, though Ernest's name will do. Heliopis, it would please them. And I don't even know who they are!" he fell silent for a while. "It was a shambles, I felt my soul weep at the sight."

"Jack, we know nothing of our origins. Yours are even more shadowy. May be something in you recognized that place from somewhere," Janet soothed. "It's a big universe and we have only begun to discover a small corner of it. Give it some time, we'll work it out."

They worked in silence before her beeper went off. With a regretful sigh and a long kiss, they parted.

656

The loud pounding on the front door roused Jack. He fumbled to find his clock, turning it towards him. Green numbers that looked vaguely like 2:45 glared back at him. "For crying out loud," he muttered, tossing back the covers and rising. "If this isn't about an invasion, I'm killing whoever's at the door."

He ripped the door open, a vicious set down on his tongue. The nearly all dark eyes of Daniel Jackson stopped it cold. "Daniel?"

"Jack?" he all but whispered.

Wordlessly, he moved over and let Daniel in, leading him into the living room. For a while, they sat in companionable silence on the couch. Eventually, Daniel spoke, "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Don't be. You found your way back in the end."

"Thanks to you."

"More to Ernest," he contradicted his words gently. "It was his wisdom that brought you through. Remember?"

"Yeah. But you would have stayed with me," he said. After a while, he followed Jack up the stairs and to the guest bedroom. Together, they made the bed. When Jack was at his own room, he cleared his throat, "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you really have stayed with me?" his question was soft, hesitant, needing to know if his guess was correct.

"I would," he replied softly. "I'm just glad I didn't have to."

"Good night, Jack."

"Night, Daniel."

6

"_Teal'c, you have done well for yourself." An older man, bearing the marks of a warrior, walked beside the younger warrior. His strong voice carried powerfully around the area in front of the gate where both men stood. "But you must return to help us."_

_"There is nothing there for me anymore," he replied._

_"Is that so, my friend?"_

_"It is. My life was my wife and child. Both of whom Apophis has stolen from me." He spoke nothing of the blame he placed on the teacher's shoulders._

_"Then who is it that cries for her husband in the night? Who seeks the warmth of his body and finds it not? What is this boy here who will soon become one of us if he is not saved?"_

_Turning a corner, they stopped. A woman with dark hair stood, defiantly shielding a young boy from the Serpent Guard. Shifting from side to side, she kept herself firmly between them._

_"Give us the boy," a voice demanded._

_She spat at him, eyes wild with anger and terror._

_"Your god demands him."_

_"He is a false god. He abandoned us," she stated calmly. She would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her cower._

_The guard viciously slapped her. "YOU LIE!"_

_"Mama!"_

_"Stay back, Ry'ac," she spoke quietly to him. Warily keeping her eyes on them as she stroked her boys' head. "I am the wife of Teal'c of Chulak. I do not lie."_

_"Give us the son of Teal'c. He will restore the honor that was lost by Teal'c's desertion," he tried to be reasonable._

_Her dark eyes were cold as she stared at him. "Teal'c has lost no honor, lest of all in my eyes. I will not give you that which is rightfully his. Only jealous cowards such as yourselves would believe such a lie of him! He is the greatest of all Jaffa!"_

_The guard drove his blade through the pouch in her belly._

_Her eyes never left the enemy Jaffa's, "run, my son. Do not let them catch you. Your father's cause must live on!"_

"Drey'ac!" Teal'c awoke, panting heavily as he sat up. His dark face was covered in a sheen of sweat and tears. "How is this possible? I saw her die." His voice came from far away, yet the words reverberated in his mind, in the room. But that look was his wife. The voice and fire hers. She had not screamed at her death then, nor had she in his vision.

Somehow, his wife and son lived. And his master, his teacher, had something to do with it.

656

"You want to go to Chulak because you had a bad dream?" Jack asked skeptically. "No offense, Teal'c, but is there more to those candles than we know about?"

"I do not expect you to understand but Kel'no'rem is a deeper meditation than you Tua'ri are capable of. The spirit is more open to communication beyond physical limitations."

"Daniel," he hissed, "translation?"

The linguist ignored his comment, knowing full well that he understood. He was just trying to buy time until he felt comfortable with the conversation. "Will the General agree?"

"Not unless there's something more there. We can't just walk onto a known Goa'uld home world and expect to go unnoticed. It would be the same as going on a suicide mission." Jack answered his question, a little miffed by his friend's lack of cooperation.

"I am willing to go alone. But go I must."

"Go where?" A new voice asked, entering the conversation.

"Chulak."

Sam raised an eyebrow and Daniel quickly filled her in. "Where's our next mission?"

"We're supposed to visit Ferretti's friends on Argos, where I get to meet the boy Daniel here delivered. Then onto Kawalsky's friends in the Land of Light, not looking forward to that after hearing of their plague. After that, we're to stop off at the Alpha Site and see how things are developing. Apparently, there's been some trouble."

"But is anyone expecting us?" She opened the bottle and took a deep drink of the juice inside before eating a bit of her sandwich.

"On Argos, yes. Other than that, no. Why?"

"Well. we can put in an appearance at Argos, stay for a while, no more than a day. From there, we gate to Chulak. If we time it right, General Hammond won't find out what we've done until its to late to recall us without getting into some kind of incident. We can go from Chulak to the Land of Light, were Teal'c's family can recuperate before deciding what they want to do."

Jack studied his team, then slowly nodded. "All right, that's the plan. I don't like it, so I want us to be extra careful. Teal'c, will we run into opposition?"

"I do not believe so. Master Bre'tac should be there to meet us."

"Just in case, we'll stop off at Abydos and get your First Prime outfit and a few of the robes we stole from them. We'll exit the gate in disguise. Daniel, you'll lead since you know more about their customs than I do."

656

"Of all the reckless, brainless things to do, that was the worst example of unprincipled actions to come from you yet. I expected better of you, more responsibility now that you have a team to care for. You're lucky that only your knee was damaged and that was only because the ground was shot from under your feet." General Hammond paused, waiting for the colonel to reply. When only silence met him, he went on. "You tread a fine line, Colonel. What was so important that you felt the need to risk your team on such a chancy plan?"

"No reason except one, sir." Here he stopped, torn between keeping confidence with Teal'c and telling the general why they had gone.

"And that would be?" he asked when the colonel fell silent.

"Teal'c had reason to believe that his family was alive. He also felt it was important to look up his mentor, the man who had helped him to see the truth about the gods. Master Bre'tac is a powerful ally and a great warrior. I believe that we shall hear more from him now that he is aware of us and our alliance with Teal'c."

"I see," General Hammond studied the man. "Master Bre'tac, you say? I shall look into it. I shall wait until Teal'c tells me of his family. Dismissed."

Jack sharply saluted and left, his smile tight. "Let's go," he told his waiting team.

6

Daniel followed Jack into the house, "I can't believe you guys went through my apartment."

"Well, that's the way the military is. And at least it was us," Jack said, knowing that his friend didn't hear a word.

He continued, "I can't believe they rented it out already. It took me a few months to find a place I was comfortable with. And you know how I love my privacy, that place was ideal for my needs. The local was perfect for walking in the park or going to the store. I only had to use my car to get to work."

"You can stay here, I've plenty of space. Besides, that room's been yours since the moment I bought the place." Jack finally voiced the tentative plan that had been brewing in his mind for sometime.

Daniel sighed and sank into the couch. "Thanks. I'd love to stay until I find a new place."

"No, I mean really stay here. Move in with me. Most of your stuff ends up over here anyway." He gestured to the bookshelf where books on Egypt resided next to the fishing and golf ones Jack had. On the mantle, a few pictures of Daniel with his parents sat with ones of Jack and his college friends. "Plus, it makes sense. 85 to 90 percent of the time, we're either off world or on the base. Why waste money on a place you rarely stay at?"

"Are you serious?" Daniel blinked at him, "honest?"

Jack nodded, settling back into his chair, his legs on the table, and sipped his drink. "I've thought about it a lot-even asked Teal'c to move in. He's content to stay near the gate, makes him feel closer to his family."

"You asked him?" He tried to keep the hurt from his voice and almost made it.

"After we thought you were gone, I realized how lonely this place was. I kept wishing I'd asked you when I had the chance."

"Why didn't you?"

He shrugged, getting up to go into the kitchen. Daniel trailed after him, waiting for an answer. "You're a grown man and I figured you would want to be on your own." He finally replied, knowing Daniel wouldn't let it go.

"I'd love to move in-but you must let me know if I drive you nuts."

"You doubt?" They shared a grin, "of course, the place will most likely be bugged from time to time."

Daniel waved that off, "like we would actually break the law in such an obvious place."

"My thoughts exactly. There's a whole universe for that," he smirked.

"You'd cheat on Janet?" he asked, shaking his head. "If you do, don't bring me into it. I have enough trouble with her."

"Well, if you would just take your medication and show up for your appointments, she wouldn't have to chase you down."

"Dinner?" Daniel asked, opening the fridge and looking in. "Jack, how old is this macaroni?"

"A week, I think. Why?"

"It's growing legs," was the dry reply.

"Toss it," the response came immediately.

656

Daniel walked out onto the observation deck, admiring the work that had been done. It had been expanded from its smaller size and could comfortably sit six people, while still having room for Jack's telescope. Breathing deeply of the faintly rain smelling air, he felt unable to come to terms with the fact that he was truly home.

And not just any home. Jack's home. The colonel was right, he belonged here. Of course, there would be bills and the general cost of living to work out. There was no way he was living off of Jack. Nor would he let Jack take advantage of his bigger salary. But he knew they would work it out.

"You all right?" Jack's sleepy voice came from behind him.

He shrugged, "couldn't sleep. I still expect to wake up and find out that my return was just the dream of a fevered mind, you know?"

"Felt the same way after my stay in Club Iraq," he mumbled, yawning. "None of it feels real, it all seems so illusory. I felt that same way when I actually thought things through, especially when I had to talk about it. My official statement said that you called me Colonel and called for help. You never call me that, save once and that was only when we first met."

"I remember," he turned to face him. "I heard about the general's window."

"I reacted badly," he shrugged.

Studying the sharp profile, he asked, concerned. "Would you have really retired?"

"Yes. I only stay because of you," he returned the study. "I don't know how much you've studied of the Celts but there is a principle they have that I hold close. They believe that in life, there is one person that you can trust above all others to walk by your side. A person you know would walk into Hell itself with you. This person may judge your actions but they won't judge you. You are that person to me. My _anam_ _cara_-my soul friend."

Daniel felt speechless. He had known that Jack held him in some kind of high regard, even a little awe but this was more than he felt he deserved. For the first time, words deserted him.

"Get some sleep, Daniel," his voice spared him the necessity of replying. He watched Jack disappear into the house and shivered.

"_Anam_ _cara_," he whispered. Another shiver rocked through him. Staring up at the sky, the title Jack had bestowed upon him started to feel right.

6

"I can't do this," Janet started to move away from the courthouse.

Jack stopped her, pulling her into a hug. "Of course you can. The General has taken care of the paperwork and most of the hard stuff. All you have to do is show up and sign your name, taking care to let them know how much you already love Cassie."

"But Jack, she bonded with Sam. She might not even want me to be her mother. And I'm military."

"You have a steady job and good character references. General Hammond is serving as her second guardian for the times when you must be away. I'll not deny that she bonded with Sam but what Cassie needs is someone who will provide a firm hand. While Carter can do that, she has a lot on her plate that keeps her distracted. You know how to prioritize what's important." He rubbed her back gently, rocking them back and forth.

"But it was Sam who went back for her. I stayed at the mountain. She stayed while I was willing to let her die without a fight." She wouldn't let him go even though they were getting some odd looks.

The door flung open and a young girl flung herself at them. "Mom!" She embraced them enthusiastically, "you came!" there was relief in her voice.

"Of course, sweetie," Janet smoothed the hair back. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

6

Sam nursed a shot of whiskey, sighing. "You okay?" She glanced up at Daniel, his eyes full of worry, warmed by his concern.

"I'm okay, just concerned about the quality of men I seem to attract. My first boyfriend thought I was too butch. My fiancée turned out to be a megalomaniac. The only decent guy I've met who has an interest in me has to leave for his own protection. I thought third time was the charm?" It was a wistful question.

"That's just a superstition, Sam," he said as he sat down.

"How can you say that with a straight face after all we've seen?" she countered, amused.

"Touché."

"What's wrong with me?"

"What makes you think there's something wrong with you? I think the first two men you got involved with liked your spunk. But they wanted it to be a public image. Something that faded when you were alone. They wanted a typical, easily-led woman who would obey them unquestioningly. As for Narim, how is it your fault when it was Colonel Maybourne's intervention that caused his leave taking?" he grimaced.

She chuckled, "I suppose. Besides, once they're settled, what's to stop me from visiting?"

"Just don't ask for any technology," he commented.

Her grin was self-deprecating. "Don't worry, I won't. They are so smart, I feel like the idiot the colonel is always pretending to be."

6

"It wasn't exactly an official mission, if you know what I mean," he told her through clenched teeth as she worked on his leg. The pain was exactly as he remembered, though the cold managed to numb it somewhat. "I walked out. 9 days."

"What got you through?" She asked, wincing along with him at every jolt she caused and wishing they had Janet with them. Or at least some drugs that wouldn't run the risk of speeding him along to his death. Most of the stuff they had with them deadened the pain and put them to sleep. Not a good idea in their situation.

"Janet," he replied.

"You were dating back then?"

His head shook, though he smiled. "I wanted to get to know the new cadet everyone talked about. She was new to the area and had already made an impression on the big boys. You've seen her in action, you know what I mean. Stop! It's a great splint and you're done!"

"Sorry," she quickly tied it off.

656

Daniel walked into the Infirmary, a second cup of coffee in his possession. "We've got a lead. Teal'c and I believe that there's a second gate on Earth. We're exploring seismic waves because I saw the gate activate and shake a bit, like it used to."

"Then, they're on Earth?" her voice was breathy with hope.

"Yes."

"Jack was right, you are a miracle." She impulsively hugged him.

"Hey! Save that for Jack," he stuttered, embarrassed.

656

Jack's eyes fluttered, resisting for a moment before opening. Looking around, he felt blessedly warm and recognized the Infirmary. Cassie jumped up and stared at him, her face pale-as was Janet's who stood behind her daughter. "Hey," he croaked.

"You okay? Mom said you were but are you?"

"Mom's right. I'm bruised but will heal. Give me a hug," he opened his arms and accepted the tentative embrace. "Why don't you go tell the gang I'm awake?"

Cassie bounced out of the room and Janet moved closer, collapsing into his arms. Tears trickled down her face, "close, Jack. It was too close."

He soothed her as best as he could under the icumstances, knowing it was even closer than she believed. "I know. Thank all the gods for Daniel's insane habits." There were no platitudes, both were too aware of the truth. He couldn't promise her anything.

And she would accept no false comfort.

End, Act 5.


	6. Chapter Six

Author's Note: S2 rewrites, though a bit of s3 and s7 leaked in, nothing major though.

6

"I will not know him until he reveals his identity to me," Jolinar maintained. "Let me go, I promise to return this body when I am in safety with my people."

Jack shook his head, denying her. "It doesn't work that way. You know too much of us through association with her. Not to mention, she knows to much of you."

"If I stay, she will die," she protested angrily, pacing the length of the cell.

"Not necessarily," Daniel entered the room, a file under his arm. "You say that you won't know until he comes for you."

"That is correct, Doctor Jackson."

Approaching the cell, he held out the folder to her. For their benefit, he explained what they were. "Pictures of the survivors. You may not think you know but some part of you must suspect him. After all, by your own words, he's chased you for a while. Some face or feature will register with you."

She stared at him, then at the folder skeptically. "This is ridiculous. My only safety is in returning to my people."

"Forgive me for this, but you aren't safe unless he's dead. And what's to stop him from killing every single one of us until someone breaks and he finds where you've gone? He'll follow and bring the danger to your people. Or don't you care?" Jack demanded. He subsided at Daniel's look.

"Please, you don't even know if your people will still be where you remember them being before. And Jack is right. At least try," he cajoled. "What do you have to lose?"

With a glare, she flipped through the glossies. She'd just about given up when one image leaped out at her. It was of a non-descript man, but she thought she vaguely recalled seeing him. "I think this is the man. But I am not sure."

Jack looked at the picture, shivering. There was a look in those eyes, one he knew all to well. The look of a killer. "Isn't he the one in the I.C.?"

Daniel nodded, feeling uneasy about the man himself. "I'll call Janet."

656

Forewarned is not always forewarned and the Ashrak managed to get to Sam. The device burned into her skull, then it stopped. She sank to the ground in a mixture of pain and relief, quickly loosing consciousness. Teal'c had crept up behind the man and snapped his neck cleanly.

Janet ran to Carter, who lay unmoving. "Open this," she ordered the guard. He did so after seeing the colonel's nod.

"He dead?" he asked Teal'c.

"He is," he intoned, even as he withdrew his zat gun. "But I will make certain of it."

"How is Sam?" Daniel asked, rubbing his face as he entered. He'd been the first to sound the alarm-and met the assassin's fist for his trouble.

"I'm fine," Carter's voice was weak, "though I want the number of the truck that hit me."

"What of Jolinar?" Daniel asked, the only one really concerned for the Tok'Ra.

Carter looked apprehensive before admitting to them. "She sleeps. What now?"

"Now, you rest and recharge, make up with Cassie and get back to work." Jack decisively answered, no hesitation in his reply.

"What if you meet the Tok'Ra?" Janet asked, prodding the burned area of her forehead.

Daniel answered before Jack could, having given the problem some thought before. From experience, he knew it was wise to have a contingency plan. "Then we will have Jolinar guide us through negations, help smooth things out between us and them. It will also help us avoid using certain words when we speak with them. With her memories, Sam should be able to recognize them."

"But the government," she began.

"Will have to go through Jack and me to get to you," the linguist's voice was hard. "And we don't play nice, do we, Jack?"

He just curled up his lip. Though she was chilled by the look, Sam was content.

6

"I knew it would bite us, Jack." Daniel exclaimed unhappily as he walked into their house, tossing his jacket in the general direction of the chair. "We messed up, big time. Jack?" he paused in his semi-rant when he noticed the empty room.

"Kitchen," he called out, head in the fridge. "Should we barbecue steaks or hamburgers?"

"Steaks," he replied definitely, washing his hands after he entered the room. "The people of Cimmeria are very forgiving. I don't know how they can after what we left them vulnerable to. How could we do that to them?"

"Ignorance," he answered immediately. "I know it isn't a good excuse for it but it is a reason. We're stumbling our way through. Sometimes we do right but mostly we make mistakes. Get the salad started, would you?"

"It isn't a good reason even if it does make sense. We are responsible for those deaths as surely as if we'd fired the weapons. I can't believe that I did it," he stopped, "croutons in or out?"

"Out. Teal'c doesn't care for them and George is allergic." He removed a bottle of dressing from the pantry, contemplating it. "Teal'c like this? Or was it the Ranch? And did you really met Thor?"

He glanced at the bottle, "that one. Ranch disturbs him for some reason. And meet is such a limited term for what it was. We were lucky he came through for us after all we had done wrong. Restoring the hammer and allowing for Teal'c's presence, very decent of him."

"It was. So, is he really a little, green man?" he paused, "Carter likes hers with more flavor, right?"

He passed him a bottle of sauce, watching as Jack poked spots in the meat before bagging it and pouring in the sauce. Giving the bag a few tosses, he set it aside to let it soak. "He was actually gray and very soft spoken, but there was no way to mistake his authority. But I think we blew it. Again."

"How so?" he grabbed the lighter fluid and matches.

"We helped them with their puzzle. A puzzle they were supposed to solve when they were ready to see the Asgard as they really are." Going to the fridge, he pulled out some fruits, "apple and cherry cobbler okay for desert?"

"Perfect. I'll be back," Jack disappeared out the back door. The smell of the grill going soon filled the air. "Bring out the steaks!"

"Coming your way!" he hollered back.

"Thor sounds like someone we could definitely benefit if we could form an alliance with them," Jack mused, accepting the plate. "I really want to meet him."

"If we can atone for our previous misdeeds." The bell rang, "I'll get it. It's probably Sam and the Fraisers. Teal'c is coming with the General."

6

Jack sat on his observation deck, the medal clenched in his hand. He flinched when Daniel's hands rested on his tense shoulders and began to massage them. Putting aside his own feelings, he forced himself to swallow the bile in his throat. He turned to Daniel, studying his tense face.

"It was Shau're who chose to walk away, Jack. Chose not to betray us. Why do I feel so angry? Shouldn't I be relieved that she is still somewhere inside, fighting?" he muttered.

"Don't beat yourself up for being human, Danny. Right now, you're angry with yourself more than you are at her. Part of you feels you should've done more."

"Not really," he contradicted firmly, even though his voice remained soft. "Don't get me wrong, I do feel that I should've done more. And I am mad. Mad that she left with him."

"Shau're understood what might happen. There was nothing to be done once the child was born. And have you considered that it wasn't Shau're? That it was Ammonnet who kept your secret because she wanted to repay you for your help? You could have killed the babe, let it be born dead. You could've killed her. Instead you helped her," he added.

The linguist snorted, working on one of the knots he's found. "Yeah, helped her give birth to that monster's child. A child he intended to be his host."

"What's the big deal with the boy anyway?" Jack asked curiously, "I thought any body did?"

"It's a Harsesis, a child whose genetic knowledge is conscious. He would know all that the symbiote knows without needing one. I'm betting that it's through this child that Apophis intends to return to honor and power," he shuddered.

"Making Apowhatsis more dangerous than he already is," he surmised. They both shuddered as the implications of that sunk in.

Daniel noticed that Jack was holding the medal in his hand tightly and decided to change the subject. "I never asked how the ceremony went."

"It didn't," he replied shortly. Tossing the medal over his shoulder at Daniel, he grimaced at the shock on his face. "This is more yours than mine."

"What happened?"

There was a hollow, acrimonious laugh and Daniel felt a chill creep down his spine. "My perfect soldier senses got a good man killed. His name is unimportant now but I'll tell you anyway because I think you'll help his name live on. Armen Selig. He approached me and informed me of his intentions. Like a good, trained puppy, I told General Hammond that this reporter knew about the Stargate, that he was going to publish an article about it."

"What happened?" he asked again, softer this time.

"Shortly after I left him the second time, he was killed by an unmarked car in front of the capitol building. His last words condemned me, how right he was." Jack gave a bitter laugh, resting his head against the legs he'd drawn near his chest.

"How much did he know?"

"A lot more than he should've," he muttered fiercely. "He knew about the Goa'uld. About your life and the first mission, the SG teams-mainly SG-1. The fact that we destroyed two space ships and that's why we were getting the medals. The General is of the opinion that the leak must've been from our dear friend Kinsey."

They sat in silence for a while and Jack finally began to unwind. After a while, judging it safe to speak, Daniel softly mused, "you said he knew a lot. I wonder how he managed to evade detection from the NID for so long when we can't do so?"

"What?" he asked, head jerking up sharply. "What are you saying?"

He returned the look evenly, "nothing. I was just making an observation, that's all. Too bad we didn't have a chance to learn his secrets, imagine how that could help those who seek sanctuary from us." He fell silent, knowing that he had said all he could to help Jack.

They sat under the stars for a while longer before rising to their feet, Jack picking up the medal from where Daniel had placed it. "I meant what I said. This is yours. You convinced me to go. Even with Master Bre'tac on the ships, who knows what might've happened? Keep it, Daniel." He pressed it into his friend's hand, closing the sensitive fingers around it.

Daniel waited outside after Jack had gone inside the house, letting his warmth to heat up the medal. Staring up at the sky, he shook his head sadly and followed him into the warmth.

6

"Janet, mind if I join you?" Sam asked hesitantly, tray in her hands. She'd debated going over for a moment since it looked like their CMO was busy but had finally decided to. After all, the worst thing that could happen was that Janet would say no. And she needed to talk to her, get her opinion about something that both the colonel and Daniel wouldn't speak of-her father becoming a Tok'Ra.

The doctor nodded, shifting some of the folders to the side. "What's on your mind?" she asked, biting into her sandwich.

"My dad," she was quiet.

"I heard. He's now one of the Tok'Ra."

"The oldest and wisest of them all, isn't that a laugh?" she replied. "I just...did I do the right thing?"

"What do you mean?"

Sam sighed, ripping up a piece of bread. "I made the decision based on my emotions rather than duty. What if I was wrong? With our jobs, emotions shouldn't have a prominent place, to much chance of making rash decisions."

Janet studied her friend as her mind tossed around a few flippant responses before deciding that was not the way to go. Flippancy wasn't what Sam needed right now, she needed a comforting ear. "How does your dad feel?"

"Oh, he's too excited by the lack of arthritis to say much," she sipped her coffee. "No, that's not true or fair to him. He said it was the best assignment an old soldier could ask for. He told me that I did the right thing."

"Why are you doubting this if he's happy?"

"Because while I asked him to do this, he'll have to live with the consequences of my selfishness. Dad had no idea what he's really getting into. I barely understand and I have some knowing of it."

"Sam, I'm no expect on Tok'Ra psychology but don't both parties have to be willing? Your experience with Jolinar aside, the host and symbiote have a true symbiotic relationship. He now knows all that his symbiote does. He is aware of the danger. And Sam," she paused, looking into her eyes, "rarely have your emotion based decisions been wrong. Cassie would not be with us today if you hadn't listened to that voice."

"I guess. I just can't help but feel like I pushed him into it. That it was for me he agreed," she sighed, shoving the peas on her plate around.

"Trust in your dad, Sam. He's smart enough and strong willed enough to know what he wants. And he isn't afraid to face the consequences, much like his daughter."

Sam laughed, "he is, at that."

"So, tell me more of his symbiote."

"First of all, her name is Selmak and, according to her host, is a wonderful person. Very caring, funny, and generous."

"Wait. Did you say her name?" Janet asked.

"Yes, why?" she asked, blue eyes brimming with curiosity.

"Just a thought. Obviously, the Tok'Ra don't care the gender, they care about the character of the person in question. I wonder if the Goa'uld are the same way?" she mused, rolling the idea about in her mind before moving on. "It would be something to ask Teal'c about. On another, less serious note, you do realize that you are the only person who can truthfully say that your father is your mother?"

Sam was startled out of her thoughts by this and laughed. "You have a very odd sense of humor."

"I get it from the Colonel."

"And that's supposed to be a good thing?" They enjoyed a good laugh over that before talking of other things.

6

"O'Neill," Teal'c's voice stopped Jack mid-step and he turned to face him. "Will there be more trouble from this renegade group of NID that has eluded us?"

"I imagine so, big guy. As long as they have access to a Stargate, they'll leave a trail of trouble behind them. And with the SG uniforms still in their possession, so will we. It'll make our work that much harder," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"What does GeneralHammond intend to do?"

"I don't know."

Teal'c watched him, a shrewd look in his eyes. "Yes, you do."

Jack's eyes met his, startled by that knowing.

"I believe that I shall visit the Land of Light. Drey'ac has expressed her desire to move elsewhere, they have been thinking of the Alpha site. I will see you later."

"Good luck on that," he faintly replied as he watched the Jaffa leave as though he owned the place.

Jack walked into Daniel's office, weary of the base. His friend was engrossed in some book about the ways of Mesopotamia or Mesoamerica, depending on where Kawalsky was going next week. The linguist looked up and gave him an absent smile before returning to his book. The colonel sat down at the desk and flipped through a few pages, organizing the mess a bit. He'd developed a habit of doing that, knowing that it made things a bit easier for Daniel.

"We're quite an oddity in the world of friendships, wouldn't you agree?"

"Most definitely," his reply was soft, unfocused-which was fine with Jack. One tended to get more honest answers on strange or touchy subjects when he was like that.

"What kind of base would you say it rests on? Concrete? Tile? Granite? Linoleum? Wood paneling?" He was only half-joking, a part of him needed desperately to know what Daniel truly felt about them. Sometimes, he wondered if he was forcing their friendship on the other man. That he wasn't giving him any choice in the matter. And there was another, deeper reason for his question.

Daniel's eyes lifted from his work and he studied Jack, hearing what wasn't being said, his brows crossed in serious thought. "We don't have any kind of foundation, Jack. Our friendship has roots."

"Roots?"

"Mmmhmmm...roots," he agreed, turning back to his work. "Hand me that pencil, would you?"

He did so, asking as it was accepted from him. "How so?"

"Well, I don't know. I just think it works," he shrugged. "I mean, a tree needs roots to grow or it will die. But roots don't stay in one place, they grow and stretch as needed. Our working together is the spot we're planted in but the roots are more symbolic of our friendship. We aren't exactly planted in the best spot for a friendship. We're to stubborn and strong willed, set in our ways. Our strengths are often each other's weaknesses. Our common goals are part of the root system and it is them which gives the roots the desire to push through the rocky terrain and find nourishment, inside of us. They cling that much harder to the source of nourishment when the storms come because they found fertile ground through rocky soil. Definitely roots, Jack."

"Our friendship is a living creature," he mused. "I like that."

"Good. See you later, you're making dinner tonight."

Jack nodded and rose, deciding to go a few rounds with Kawalsky.

6

"If you do this, if you go, you won't be able to get back." Daniel's voice was as calm as he could make it but still, the pain bled through. It was killing him to see his friend standing there, as though there was nothing here for him anymore. Jack was willing to walk away on a guess-because he had a voice in his head telling him what to do and because Daniel believed in him.

Jack's deadened eyes met his as the gate pulsed in the background. Its blue light casting a ghostly light upon them, throwing them into a stark relief of dark and light.

For a moment, the real Jack fought for dominion and showed through. The brown was warm and inviting, speaking to him, trusting that he would know what he could not say. '_I will be back, Daniel. You've trusted me this far, trust me in this. I will not leave you, my family, my friend, alone._'

Then the entity regained control and he turned away, disappearing into the blue of the event horizon.

656

The Asgard watched him leave, a contemplative silence filled the room. Loki was bouncing with excitement-as much excitement as an Asgard was capable of. "He used the knowledge to find us."

"Yes," Heimdahl agreed. "It could mean that he is the one to lead us to the cure."

"He is not," a voice said.

"Odin, you do not know that," Loki protested.

"I do. You will leave him alone, his DNA is protected." Odin watched the two scientists leave the room before turning to Freyr. "What do you think?"

"We must keep an eye on those two."

Odin turned to him and they began to walk over to an observatory window, "I meant the human."

"Why should we care about him?"

"He said that they are exploring space. Freyr, we are sure to meet them from time to time." Odin's words were reasonable. "We are friend to all who fight the Goa'uld, which they are doing. I saw much in his mind that disturbs me, as well as comforts me. It is a puzzle that I am not content to leave alone."

Freyr gave what sounded like a snort at that comment. "Your curiosity will destroy you one day."

"Today is not that day, Freyr, and I believe that we must watch them."

"The Tua'ri have caused quite a stir among the System Lords, especially this team referred to as SG-1. It is led by O'Neill," Thor approached them, "what have I missed?"

"The arrival of this O'Neill you spoke of," there was a sneer in Freyr's voice. "I do not see why we must trouble ourselves so much over them. We have our own problems."

"A problem we brought on ourselves," Odin reminded him. "If these humans come into contact with them, it is our fault. We let them lose because we were overconfident in our abilities to remain in control of them. As for O'Neill, I believe he is more than human."

"How so?" Thor asked, desiring to know more of the human who lead the team that had impressed the people of Cimmeria so much.

Odin faced him, not quite knowing how to answer the query. "I do not know. But there is something about him that intrigues me."

"What of Daniel Jackson? Is it not possible that it is this young man who is the reason for the mystique?"

"I do not know of this name other than he is friend to O'Neill. Who is he?" Odin asked, head tilted.

"He is one of those who helped Garwyn through our test, the other was a Captain Samantha Carter, an astrophysicist. There is a fourth member of the team, a Jaffa named Teal'c who has chosen to rebel against Apophis." Thor replied, glancing at Freyr, who kept silent.

"They bear watching," Odin commented at last.

The three moved deeper into the place. "Keep an eye on Loki, I do not trust him. Heimdahl will follow my mandate, I can say that with confidence."

"At last, something I agree with you on," Freyr muttered and left.

Odin and Thor watched him for a moment, "he is going to be difficult."

"Undeniably. I shall keep my eye on the humans," Thor volunteered. "They intrigue me as well."

656

"So, you don't remember a thing?" Janet asked, "not even making love to me in three different languages-none of which was English?"

He choked, eyes wide, "what?"

She laughed, curling into his warmth as they sat on her couch. Cassie was tucked in upstairs, sleeping soundly. "I'm kidding, baby. But, do you really expect me to believe that you don't remember anything from your experience?"

"I know some things," he conceded. "The language, but I think that has to do with the fact that I spoke it and wrote it exclusively. I know about the alien device I built. I doubt I could explain it, but I'm sure I could do it again, if necessary. I also know that you were in no danger because the iris wasn't working. I programmed it the Stargate to only accept a wormhole from the gate I returned from. But don't tell Daniel this, he's still trying to get me to explain about Ernest's light show from Heliopis."

"Your secret's safe with me," she exhaled slowly. "But, don't you think Daniel already knows? He's not dumb."

"I'm sure he does. He keeps giving me _that_ look."

She was quiet, "be more careful. It was close. Cassie can't go through that much worry."

"Cassie can't? Well, for her sake, I shall try harder," he said. Together, they sat in silence and contemplated their close shave. "Jan, will you tell me if it gets to much for you?"

"You doubt?" she answered. He hugged her closer to him, replying to her unspoken need.

6

"So, Sam, this hunch came from talking to your plant," Daniel began. "Would I be correct in guessing that the 'plant' in question is Jolinar?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Two reasons. One, you were embarrassed when pressed. Two, there was the reference to a true symbiotic relationship between plant and inhabitant."

"You are forgetting a third one, another word for spy is plant." She affirmed his supposition with those words. "Or bugs. Both of which have something to do with the botanical world."

6

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked, joining him in the backyard.

Jack shrugged, not replying as he stared off into the distance.

"Why did you not tell me you had a child?"

"There was no point. It was a lifetime ago," the reply was soft.

Daniel resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "you aren't that old, Jack."

"Appearances are all to often deceiving," he said softly, as though coming to a decision.

"Hola, Jack!" A new, Spanish accented voice carried over the side fence door as a dark skinned man came around the corner. He was about five foot, six inches and had dark eyes that brimmed with laughter. The mustache highlighted his smile and the golden tooth added just a touch of piracy to his look. "So, this is where you've been hiding all this time. Nice."

The small woman who had entered after him looked about, smiling softly in agreement. "I heard you'd stayed male. Shame. It is so hard to be the only female in this man's club," she sighed. Though obviously from the Eastern part of the world, her slanted, kohl rimmed eyes were a deep green. The thick, graying hair was pulled back in a loose bun, held in place with a jade pin.

The words were nearly disguised by both the Korean she spoke in and the loud tones of the man's voice but Daniel heard her clearly. He whipped his head around and stared at Jack intently, willing the man to confirm or deny what he'd just heard.

If he was aware of the study, he ignored it completely. The moment for confiding had passed, leaving Daniel to wonder just what Jack was hiding from him this time. And how long it would be before he told him everything.

6

"Jack," Daniel whispered, cautious of waking the sleeping pair in back. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. You?" Jack tried to redirect the conversation. He knew that, even though Carter had explained about the grandfather paradox, Daniel wanted to drop a line to his parents and warn them to stay away from the Metropolitan Art Museum.

He shrugged, then studied his friend's face. "I'll survive. You look different-and it isn't the change of clothes. I've seen you casual before, this isn't that dissimilar from your normal dress. There's something else."

Jack studied Daniel, coming to an uncertain decision. If he could distract him, he would. If not, he didn't want to think about that possibility. "T, give me a turn at the wheel."

"As you wish."

The four of them changed places with little fuss, Jack waited until they were settled before speaking in a low voice. "You remember when we switched bodies? We stayed that way when Ma'chello's heart gave out and Janet sent us out to see if she could revive him?"

"Yes," he replied slowly. "I was feeling rather weak and light headed, I went to talk to you about it. You told me that being of Irish blood gave you a connection to the land. That you needed to take some time off to recharge, much like Teal'c's kel'no'rem. I thought you were being full of blarney-especially when you added that it was your nature."

"Ah, Daniel, that was no blarney. It is my Irish nature, we hold our dear Mother Eriu dear and draw strength from her rolling green hills."

Daniel gave him a look that cut through the prevarication. "_Eriu_?" he repeated, emphasizing the word. Making it quite clear that he'd caught the word-and knew that it was not the preferred term the Irish used when speaking of their homeland.

Making the turn, he contemplated his choices now. It was one thing to find one of his own kind and reveal himself to them. They usually gave you no choice, wanting to challenge you to a fight. Giving out one's name was just common courtesy. It was another to tell someone outside that group. Even if it was just Daniel.

But that was the problem. It _was_ not just Daniel. This was his _anam_ _cara_.

In the end, that was all that mattered. "Do you know the show '_The Highlander'_? They're a lot closer to the truth than some of us like, though not as close as the movie that suggested that we aren't even from Earth."

Blue eyes widened, "you're immortal? Do you carry a sword?"

"Kinda. I can be killed, Daniel, but it takes a lot of effort to do so. Of, course, I carry a sword. I call her Caliburnus in honor of an old friend of mine."

"Someone you miss?" Daniel's voice was soft.

"Not so much as one would think, this particular friend has a habit of reincarnating themselves and finding me." It was silent and he glanced over at him. "You're taking this better than I would've thought possible."

"Yeah, but I know you. Does Janet know?" A suspicious look entered his eyes. "She's like you."

Jack had to stifle his shout of laughter. "Not quite as old, but, yes, she is. Nor does she have the same changeling abilities."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Danny, that I can change my form. How else do you think I've survived all this time?" he asked, curiously. "Only the oldest can do it. This is only because we've cultivated it, and would rather not fight."

Daniel was silent, occasionally speaking to give him directions. "So, why do you pretend ignorance of things that you should know?" he finally asked.

"Because when I shuck off an old life, I leave much of that knowledge in the grave. It is the carcass of that life's end. It's easier that way," he finished. "If you want to talk, when we get back, I'll take you to a place of security. There's too much that can't be told out here."

656

With a quick kiss, Jack accepted the tickets and travel arrangements from Janet. "What are your plans?"

"Cassie's excited about seeing Ry'ac again. She's going to teach him to fish. Are you sure she isn't your daughter?"

"Pretty sure, considering her age and the fact that I could never bring myself to cheat on you. For any reason."

"You came pretty close with Hathor," she reminded him. But it wasn't a vindictive comment.

"And once again, Daniel saved me from my stupidity. Though at a terrible cost to himself," he bitterly replied.

She changed the subject before he could dwell on his perceived failure to protect his friend. "Sam and I are going to Hawaii to talk about 'girly' things."

"Ah, kick the Marine for that comment, will ya?"

Brown eyes twinkled at him mischievously. "Its always better to wait until their complete physicals for that."

"Ouch!" he winced. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."

"That was your one and only warning, my dear Colonel O'Neill. Get going, the transport leaves in three hours, you're going to need that long to separate Daniel from his work."

With a laugh, he left. Popping his head back around the door, he asked a favor. "Get Carter to talk about Martouf. The two of them are so comfortably uncomfortable around each other it makes working with them extremely unwieldy."

"Get going, O'Neill!" She pushed him out the door after accepting the proffered kiss. "I'll take care of her."

"See you in two weeks."

6

"Oh, I had so hoped to never see you again."

Daniel silently agreed with Jack's heartfelt sentiments but firmed his spine to show nothing at all to this creature of evil. Though she was still attractive, the horror of what she was remained foremost in his mind.

He wondered if the Medusa myth had started this way. A beauty to rival that of Aphrodite but the hair revealed her true nature. The snakes inside, coming out to frame the face and paralyzing entranced men. A most appropriate touch.

It was a thought that made him want to laugh but knew he couldn't. The 'goddess' was speaking to them and he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what happened next. When he saw the symbiote, he knew for sure he was going to hate it.

Jack tensed when the symbiote drew near and seemed to find him the most appealing. His hand reached for the sword that always rested invisibly beside him but stopped before it moved. If he missed, it might jump one of the others.

Even if he didn't, there were too many opposing forces. But he had to do something. He couldn't let this happen to him, the symbiote would gain too much from him. Here Jack was, an immortal host with no need of the sarcophagus to aid him, what more could it possibly want?

Luckily, he had taught Daniel how to fight and blind sight him. Daniel had sworn to never save him. If he'd ever blended, his friend would kill him. He would also burn his body and return him to the winds.

_Sorry, Danny_, he thought, as the thing got closer to him. Then his body jerked. A familiar blast hit him. _I take it back_; he thought numbly, _I could learn to love those things_.

All Daniel felt was relief.

Though he had promised, he'd always prayed that he'd never have to fulfill it. His eyes remained focused on Jack's prone form, even as Hathor railed at the Jaffa and her followers for this accident. Blue eyes studied the colonel's body carefully.

Only one shot, yet Daniel knew such a blow was worse for Jack than others. The slow, steady rise and fall of his chest reassured him.

"It will happen, Beloved," Hathor proclaimed, watching as the trio was ushered out. "Soon, I will know why my child rejected our Beloved and the scientist for one such as he." She left the room, mind pondering the choice her 'child' had made.

End, Act 6.


	7. Chapter Seven

Author's Note: Season 3, though season 4 may leak in.

6

Jack wondered how long he could keep up the act. He really only knew a handful of words and if they were to ask him something directly...it was best not to think of that. Drawing closer to them, he lifted Daniel's chin and forced a derisive laugh out. "You see how much more painful it is to these...harvestables when they hear a friend's voice as opposed to the god's?"

Walking around him, he leaned closer and whispered in his ear, but it was loud enough for all to hear. Unseen, his hand slid into the knots. "You are the Beloved? Our queen's standards have slipped, choosing such a poor specimen for such an honor."

Daniel whipped his head around in reaction, spitting at him. "No honor I assure you."

"Insolence!" He moved around, letting his hand fly out and the linguist fell to the side. The blue eyes gazed up at him, wounded, and he nursed the cheek against his shoulder. "I shall have to teach you your place, slave. This host seems to think that you have a grasp on learning quickly. We shall soon see how well he judged your intelligence," he hissed.

"I want no place with you," he glared, hurt erased leaving only pure defiance behind.

"Leave that one to me," Jack intoned, stopping the Jaffa from moving to take him. Moving over to Ferretti, Kawalsky, and another he trusted, he did the same thing to them. "I grow weary of this game. Take those three here, they are close to my host." He gestured towards them, bored but his head shook once more as they approached Daniel. "I'll take the Beloved He and I have some unfinished business to take care of."

Once the Jaffa had pulled them to their feet and they were clear of the huge towers, the made their move and shoved the guards aside and reached for the weapons. With Carter providing cover fire, they shot their guards and turned towards the others. The Stargate roared to life and General Hammond, with Teal'c in the pilot's seat, flew out in a glider.

"Yee-haw!" the general shouted, firing at the towers and Jaffa.

"Nice rescue, sir," Jack whistled. "Daniel, did I hurt you?"

Daniel continued to avoid his eyes. He was hunched in, arms wrapped around his waist.

"Danny?"

With a smirk, his head came up and he met his gaze evenly. "Not even a scratch. Honestly, you are so gullible, Jack." His eyes were sad, "did you mean it?"

"Not a word of it. Hathor doesn't even deserve your spit. Unless you meant her death, then, yeah. I did mean that. Old Hathor is nothing more than a frozen Popsicle."

6

What happened to my hair? Samantha thought, gaping at her dear, dead husband in disbelief. He stood off to the side, deep in conversation with General Hammond and her friend, Janet. Blue eyes narrowed as she noted the complete intimacy between Jack and the doctor. Their ease was that of long-time lovers, not colleagues.

Obviously, they were not together here. But this world wasn't bad. She could live without Jack if it meant that Apophis wasn't raining terror down on their heads.

"So, what's the emergency?" Daniel and Carter entered the room and stopped, stunned.

Jack waved, "Danny! Carter! Over here, Janet will explain things to you. Then you can let me know what's really going on. After which, we'll have a party while I figure out how to explain to Sara why she has two husbands."

"I'm not married, Jack. She is," Charlie said from his position in the corner. Earlier, he'd been told that his counterpart here had a wife and two kids, a third on the way. He either chose to ignore the absolutely terrorized shaking of Samantha's head or honestly didn't see it. "To you, in fact."

Samantha moaned and buried her head, afraid to meet their eyes. This was absolutely humiliating-and she was going to kill Charlie when they were left alone.

"Interesting choice, though not the most intellectually challenging. And, hey, at least I'm human, unlike an alien like the reality Daniel visited." Jack joked, diffusing the situation easily.

"What?" the astrophysicist looked up, startled. "You've been to another reality where I'm married?"

Daniel shook his head, telling her. "No, you were engaged to a Tollan named Narim."

"I thought you liked Martouf, sir," the other Sam said. "Was that a lie?"

"Marty's a great guy. I platonically adore Marty. Hey, may be we should change this subject before I'm in even more trouble than normal?" He saw the twin, evil grins on Sam and Daniel's faces. The curiosity on Kawalsky's, the mischievous twinkle of Janet. Only the general remained neutral in this. Dead either way, he thought. "On second thought, I'll tell Teal'c about the situation. General. Doctor. Captain. Doctor. Major. Daniel?"

He shrugged, half-interested in seeing Jack deal with this. "Should be fascinating to see you try to explain this to Teal'c." They heard him say as he walked out the door after Jack.

"I'm not that bad," he protested.

"You're not that good either," he retorted.

656

Jack gave Samantha a hug, turning towards the mirror. "I am sorry I can't give you what you really want but Jan..."

"Is your love here. Besides, it would make things awkward with your Sam. At least you've given me the chance to say good-bye, I didn't get that before."

He smiled slowly, allowing her to see a side of him that only Daniel ever had. Even Janet was not aware of his ability to speak so eloquently to the grieving. "You may never have what you had with your Jack but you will never be alone. Don't hide from the world. Grieve for a while if you must but I'll tell you what I know your Jack would say. Don't stop living, it won't bring any solace to you and will only hurt his memory in the end."

"Good-bye, Jack." She watched him go, careful to keep the tears hidden.

"Bye, Samantha. And don't be afraid to cry," he hugged her tightly. Then moved away and touched the mirror. She turned away, not wanting to see him leave.

6

Jack sat in his office, contemplating his report. Putting the finished project to the side, he wondered if he should see what Daniel was doing. It could not have been easy for him, seeing his wife die. And by the hands of a friend. Then again, should he interfere in something like this? May be Daniel wanted to grieve alone.

"Let's get out of here, Jack." Daniel stoically said. The linguist stood at the door, arms at his side, and the colonel rose silently and approached him, eyes studying the drawn and pale face before him.

This was new to them, usually he went to Daniel. It hurt to see the pinched look on his face. And the loss of innocence in the blue eyes, twisted his heart. But he knew that was how it had to be. Time changed them all, no matter how much he wished it could be otherwise.

Still, he thought as his arm curved around him protectively, it hurt him so much.

6

Daniel was shooting baskets restlessly in the gym. The lack of faith his friends had in Ke'ra bothered him. It was possible she could be Linea, but she wasn't now. As long as she had no remembrance of things past, she was no danger, right?

His head shook and he shot another wild basket. No, she was working on the cure. She would want to know. And in knowing lay the danger. Ke'ra was no danger. She wanted to heal. Her heart was open to helping and loving. She wanted to give, not take.

It was Linea who wanted to harm. To destroy.

Linea could not be set free again. She was poisoning the mind and life of another, much like a symbiote did. The Destroyer of Worlds needed to be destroyed herself. But Ke'ra deserved to have a life of her own. Did they have the right to deny it to her?

No.

But if they let her live, then Linea would resurface, for they had no right to deny her the cure she worked so hard to make.

Was saving her life right when in doing so many would suffer as a result?

Then, death was their only option. They would have to kill an innocent soul to save the lives of others. No other option existed but those two. Kill her or let her go and fear the day when Linea would emerge and take control.

Or was there a third option? Jack was always saying that if someone could come up with an impossible but better option, it was Daniel.

And now a new thought came to mind. Was this just a reflection of their lack of trust in him? Were they actually thinking that he could not be trusted? He seemed to attract women whose ultimate goals was to harm them. Did they not believe him because of it?

Shaking that one off furiously, he pondered the problem of Ke'ra. There had to be another option because he couldn't in good conscious let a good woman die in the hopes of stopping an evil woman from being reborn.

656

Tossing his finished report in his box, Daniel noticed a note carefully written in Gaelic, resting against the picture of Shau're. He knew that it could only be from Jack. Who else would bother?

But what could he possibly want to say to him so much that he would take the time to write it in a dead language?

'_Daniel,_

_You were right that Ke'ra had a right to live even though she was Linea. As usual, your gut led you to the best solution for all. I will only say this, you were wrong about who I trust the most._

_As much as Teal'c is my warrior brother, you are my anam cara. I trust you more than I trust myself. I just wish you could bring yourself to believe that._

_Hockey tonight. I'll pick you up at eight._

_Jack_.'

He looked at the clock. If he was to make it in time, he needed to leave now.

6

"I don't like this," Janet said, nibbling her lower lip.

"Neither do I. But Jacob's a good man. Did you talk with Sam?"

Her head shook, "not yet. Send her in so I can give the major her pre-mission physical. I'll talk to her and Jolinar then. Hopefully, it will prove to beneficial to all concerned parties."

"Love you, Jan."

"Back at you, babe," she responded. Hugging him with a desperate strength, she thoroughly ravished his lips. "Come back and I promise you another one of those."

He groaned and pulled back. "I'll send Ferretti instead and go with you to P49-X52."

"Get gone, Jack," she laughed and kicked him out.

Sam raised an eyebrow as Jack nearly crashed into her before righting himself and gesturing vaguely for her to go in. "Am I interrupting anything? Though I do have to question the wisdom of carrying on so at the base."

Janet's face blushed lightly. "It's the nature of this mission. We're usually well behaved."

"Compared to who?" Sam teased.

"Stop it, girl and relax. Tell me, have there been any problems with your cycle?"

She hopped onto the examination table, folding her hands before her. "Nope. Which surprises me because I stopped taking the pill a few months ago."

"Are you sorry?" Janet asked.

"Nah, the pill was inconvenient at times. It was also unnecessary since Jolinar's presence takes care of things. You were right to say it's crippling me."

"And how are things going between you and her?"

"Better now that we've talked things through-especially since we talked about Martouf," she sighed, leaning back against the wall. "It's still hard to differentiate between her feelings and my own."

"Why fight it then? Especially since its what you both seem to want?"

"Because I don't know if I want it for me and my own happiness. Or if I'm just touched by their decades long love story and want them to reunite."

Janet nodded, understanding dawning in her eyes. "I see. Listen, I may be out of line by suggesting this, but why don't you talk to Martouf? He has experienced this confusion when he blended with Lantash, though I am only assuming that this is true. He is also one of the parties in question."

"You might be right," she sat up straight and her eyes lightened to a gray blue. "Doctor Fraiser, I am pleased to see you."

"Jolinar," she was delighted to speak with the Tok'Ra. "How have you been?"

"I am almost fully healed from the prolonged torture to my body. My host has helped me heal and recover. Returning to Sokar's prison is something that fills me with dread. I do not wish to return. Yet, Selmak is important to us. I will go to retrieve him."

"You won't be alone this time," Janet reminded her.

"I might as well be, though that Colonel O'Neill of yours makes being alone rather hard. Is he always so...intrusive?"

"Nosy? Loud? Over bearing? Interfering? Mother Hennish? Definitely, and we wouldn't have it any other way."

"You speak oddly of the man you love."

"I may love him but I am not ignorant of his flaws," Janet said. "What of Martouf? He'll be by your side."

She sighed, "it is him I most wish to protect from the things that I had to do to survive."

Janet studied her intently, "it will come out eventually. Best tell him yourself. Betrayal is an ugly thing and an even worse feeling when done with the best of intentions."

"You may be right," Jolinar conceded.

"Of course I am. I date the colonel, remember? One of us has to be right, since he so rarely is."

656

Jacob looked at Jack, doubtfully. "Sam will kill you for this, you realize that, don't you?"

"Yeah, but at least I'll die knowing that she's finally got that life I've been ordering her to get for years. My question is, are you going to help?" he looked at him, curiously.

"Her or you?"

"Her, sir. Daniel, you just about done?" he hollered.

"Almost, Jack. I think this is one of my better pieces. Are you sure the translation is correct?"

"Positive. Borgas is one of my first languages."

"No, I won't." Jacob said, wondering what Jack meant with his comment about languages.

"What?" Jack asked, blinking at Jacob.

He smirked at the revealing reaction. "Both Selmak and I agree with your actions, even though she questions your ways."

"They need to talk and locking them in the room for our four hour flight is the best solution," he reasonably pointed out "Surprisingly, it was Daniel's idea."

"Why does that surprise you, Jack?" his voice was slightly muffled.

"Because its you, Danny, the boy with...never mind. There's no way I can say this without sounding bad." He quickly retracted, seeing Daniel's glare.

Martouf and Carter walked in, looking decidedly uncomfortable with each other. A sad norm for them. One that they were all heartily sick of. "You wanted to see us, sir?" Sam addressed the colonel, moving to stand beside her dad as she did.

"No. Daniel did, some rock he found back there. Wanted your opinion on it." His head indicated the open door they were standing in front of. They could hear Daniel's exasperated sigh when he heard Jack's words.

"Artifact, Jack," Daniel corrected automatically as he joined them. "It's in there. Give me a moment to get my notebook and I'll join you."

They entered and Jack shut the door, sliding a bolt into place. "You kids have fun. But be careful, though we are no longer on a mission, any foul play could make your leaders look bad."

"Sir!" Sam protested, trying to force the door open. "DAD!"

"Don't bring me into this," he replied.

"Dr. Jackson? Selmak? Surely the two of you will be reasonable," Martouf tried.

"No more appealing for help, you two. The two of you have much to discuss and we won't let you out until you do. The both of you make me tired," Jack's voice calmly informed them.

Daniel added, "there's no use in trying to open the door, Sam. We've provided food and water, plus something to read. Other than that, you only have each other."

Sam and Martouf stared at the door, glanced shyly at each other, and then studied the floor. Outside, they could hear the footsteps walking away, leaving them isolated in the room. It was going to be a long journey.

6

Jack left the base, sighing. Things were better now that he'd been exposed as a double agent. His team knew that he'd lied to them about his feelings. Teal'c and Carter would get over it. Both were 'career military' by choice. They understood following orders even when it went against the grain of one's beliefs.

But Daniel was another matter entirely. From the get go, he had always found it difficult to separate the colonel from Jack. To be honest, Jack liked it that way. They worked better when they were of one mind. How far back had this little stunt caused them to fall?

Though Daniel had left before him, he didn't expect the linguist to be home. Since his 'theft', they hadn't seen each other, save for the infamous day. Pulling into the driveway, he stopped and got out with a deep sigh. The house looked sad and lonely, he'd gotten used to Daniel's presence.

Opening the door, he stopped, shocked. A delicious smell tickled his nose. Automatically, he catalogued the scents to draw a picture of dinner. Head cocked to the side, he realized that it was a traditional Egyptian meal. "Daniel?"

"You were expecting Thor?" he teased, leaning over the counter. The slight smile on his face revealed that he knew he was confusing Jack. And he loved it. "Go wash, I'm just about done here."

Looking around, he noticed that many of the things Daniel had removed were back. His living area looked friendlier, more lived in. "What? But I thought that? After what happened with the Tollans and the spying? Your work? And when I left, you weren't…the straws?"

Daniel snorted at the disjointed comments, coming around to stand in front of him, looking in his eyes. "What? That little display of yours? "_Not much of a foundation_", I believe were the exact words you used. Isn't that correct?"

Jack nodded, mind numbly processing what was happening. To think that this whole horrible mission should end like this had been something he had never dared to contemplate. That it was actually happening, his mind couldn't seem grasp fully.

"Could you possibly have been more obvious, Jack?" he asked, snorting. "That was like shouting "I'm lying my butt off here! to me." Honestly, how unobservant and clueless about our friendship do you think I am?"

He slowly blinked. "What?"

"We had a conversation about our friendship before, not to long ago in fact. I remember everything we talk about, Jack, even when its said in passing. As for not being in the gate room, I couldn't be there and not give you away. They were expecting to see some proof from me about how I now felt about you. How could my disgust show more clearly than in not watching you leave?"

Slowly, Jack's head nodded. What Daniel said made sense. How could he have not seen it for himself?

"And, really, you deserved it," his voice softened. Now, he sought comfort from his friend, that he was not wrong about his conviction. "But not everything was a lie, was it?"

Jack leaned against the counter, studying him, knowing what he really wanted to hear. "Everything about you wasn't true. About the second Stargate program with me in charge, that was true. My feelings about the superior races and their haughty attitude? Oh, yeah, that's true. I hate their smug superiority. The way they refuse to help us, yet beg for our help when something goes wrong with them. About the only ones who ally themselves with us who consistently come through are the Asgard-and even their aid is often to little, to late."

"That's what I thought," Daniel replied, relief in his tone.

"So, we're good?"

Daniel thought for a moment, slowly nodding. "We're shaken, how else could we be? But good."

6

Daniel stood in the hallway, unbelieving at what he'd just witnessed. Sam had just stepped into the elevator and Jack walked down the hall, as though nothing was wrong with their world. And he was still here. Alone and invisible. Gee, it felt like all those time in the foster homes. May be life was trying to tell him something and he was just slow in learning it. Shrugging, he decided to follow Jack.

That, at least, was something.

Jack stopped in front of Daniel's office, not surprised to find himself there. Stepping inside, he sighed and rested his head on the wall. "If he wasn't your grandfather, I would be paralyzed with fear and desperation. And don't sigh, it's true. He believed something outrageous, just like you. Only difference is, you get to prove yours on a weekly basis."

The linguist stepped closer and rested his hand on the tense shoulder, squeezing. For a moment, it relaxed under the offered comfort. "Carter was right. You are here, aren't you?" he softly whispered, turning to the empty space behind him. Jack could almost see his friend standing there but said nothing more, just enjoyed the peace in the room.

Enjoyed the silent comfort of the ghostly touch.

They stayed that way until someone passed by in the hall. Daniel withdrew, he had a grandfather to see and kick into gear.

656

"You knew I was there, why didn't you just believe Nick?"

"Having a gut feeling about something is a tricky thing, Daniel. While my gut about fighting or meeting people hasn't let us down, emotions are another. And in our line of work, I can't take things on faith easily. There's to much that can go wrong," he explained as they pulled into the diner. Jack waited at the door for him. Together, they entered and looked for their friends.

Janet rose and waved when they entered.

"It's also hard when that sense has been mocked, Daniel."

He nodded, understanding in his face, "hey, guys. Did we keep you waiting long?"

"For these eyes to rest on you once again, the wait is more than worth it," Janet drawled lazily, sliding over so that Jack could join her.

"Janet!" he protested, sitting by Sam. "Jack, call her off."

"Why? I agree with her."

"So do I," Sam added.

"As do I, DanielJackson. You have been missed," Teal'c intoned.

Still blushing, Daniel protested faintly. But he was secretly pleased. They reminded him that he was loved and needed. They were family. An unusual family, may be. One that wasn't for everyone, definitely. But his nonetheless.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

6

Daniel was miserable. Jack had left after inviting him to go fishing. Something he never would have done because he knew Daniel wasn't fond of it. He also knew that the linguist would've said yes just to please him. Jack had been very careful to choose activities both enjoyed. He'd even avoided asking him to hockey games until he found out that he liked hockey.

Of course, that was a secret both would carry to their graves. As far as everyone here knew, Jack dragged his friend to the games to the sound of his vociferous protests. And Jack made it up to him, he'd go to exhibits or museums when asked. Deny it though he might, Daniel knew he enjoyed the trips due to his own unique way of private lecturing.

Only the twinge in his side stopped him from accepting.

His friend's brown eyes showed that he wouldn't leave him alone. It was the same look he'd had on Apophis' ship. So, Daniel had sent him off with a joke about staying in bed for a few more days. All he'd really wanted to do was have him stay by his side.

And he felt guilty for it.

656

Jack looked in on Sam, not surprised to see her working. "This what you planning to do on vacation?" He clucked his tongue, staring at the…whatever it was on the desk in the darkened room. It was one of her new doohickeys.

"Its fascinating, sir." She replied, removing the goggles on her face to see him clearly.

"Carter, you do know what a vacation is, don't you?"

"It's what you do all the time," she replied pertly.

"Spare me the insubordination, Carter," he mock groused. "Fascinating. Is that a euphemism for boring?"

Her eyebrow raised in perfect imitation of Teal'c, "as you say, sir. Besides, Martouf is coming and we'll spend some time together."

"Excellent. Since I can't persuade you to come fishing, keep an eye on Daniel for me, would you?" he left the office.

"Sir!" she followed him.

He turned, "yes?"

"Have a good time. Janet and I will keep him alive. One piece may be out of the question, considering his behavior sometimes," she laughed at his expression. Only one patient was worse than Jack and he was in the Infirmary right now.

"No damaging..." he was suddenly beamed out of the hall, "my archeologist...Thor?"

"I am here, O'Neill. Down the hall, I shall guide you the rest of the way."

656

Carter's eyes widened and she immediately hit the alarm. About to go and see the general, she thought better of it. Instead, she went to see Daniel and had to rush to the bed to restrain him.

"What's going on? Where's Jack?" he asked, struggling against her hold.

"He's fine, saying good-bye to the General. Most likely trying to convince him to go fishing with him."

"But the alarm?"

"Is just a simple glitch, Daniel," she calmly lied.

He yawned, calm and no longer fighting the drug. "Tell Jack to see me before he goes, okay? I think I will accept that fishing idea after all, if he'll put it off for a day or so."

"I'll do just that," she waited until he was sleeping. "I hope."

"What's happening?" Janet asked from her office.

Sam joined her, closing the door behind her. "The Asgard took Colonel O'Neill."

Oh, gods, Janet thought. "Why?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. Keep an extra watch on him. The colonel would kill me if anything happened to him. And I wouldn't blame him." With one last look at him, she left the Infirmary.

656

Daniel sat, helpless. Before him, an empty cavern where the Stargate once was. Empty, like his soul felt. It hurt worse than when Shau're died. With her, he had almost expected death to be her freedom.

But this was like watching his parents die. Again, he could only be witness to the tragedy unfolding before him.

Helpless and trapped. What would he do without his family?

Without his _anam_ _cara_? He finally admitted, if only to himself, that Jack was his soul friend.

656

Odin's ship flew over Earth and nodded his thanks to them.

Jack rested his hand on Thor's, "get better soon, buddy."

"You are indeed as Thor said. Odd but extremely loyal to those you deem worthy," Odin observed.

"It's always been an Achilles' heel of mine," Jack shrugged. "Thanks for the ride."

"We owe you for showing us a way we had not considered before," was the reply before he beamed them down.

They startled everyone with their appearance in the control room.

Everyone except Daniel. Blue eyes stared dully ahead where the gate had once been. The trio winced at the look on his face. "Oh, Danny," Jack murmured and ignored everyone as he approached the stricken man, with Teal'c and Carter right behind him.

Two fingers touched the stiff shoulder and turned him around. Blue eyes refused to look up, taking their time to process the new information before them. His ears twitched, recognizing the voices that spoke around him. His nose picked up on familiar scents. For a moment, the eyes resisted, then lifted to see Jack and in the background, Sam and Teal'c.

"Come on, Space Monkey, let's get you back to bed," he said softly. Placing his hand under the elbow, he lifted the man to his feet and guided him out into the hall. By unspoken agreement, the other two left them alone. It was nearly empty in the hall as they made their way to the Infirmary.

"Jack?" he finally spoke into the nearly empty hall. Turning towards what he thought was an illusion, he sought comfort from it anyway.

There were no words inside him to ease the fear Jack saw in Daniel's eyes. So he didn't even bother. Opening his arms wide, he pulled the younger man into a reassuring hug-something they both needed. They stood in the hall, uncaring of time or the opinion of others.

After three years, no one really noticed them anymore. Or cared to question them.

656

They were at Jack's cabin after that disastrous mission on the Russian submarine. "Never again."

"Hmmmm..." Daniel looked up from his book. Surprisingly, he had enjoyed himself at the cabin. He wasn't expecting to. It had been a relaxing two weeks off. There was color in his face, which would please Janet when she arrived with Sam, Teal'c, and Cassie for a final blowout before they returned to work.

"I will never again go up against those bugs in such a tight place. Submarines are not good for close combat. Nor will I leave you behind again. You've got my six," Jack elaborated.

"Why? Doesn't Janet want it anymore?" he teased. "I don't blame her. It's starting to show its age."

"You little snarky archeologist," he mock pouted.

"That the best you can come up with?"

"Words are your forte, not mine." He pushed him towards the lake once he wrestled the book from his grip. With a laugh, Daniel grabbed onto his arm and they both tumbled in, getting into a water fight once they broke the surface. "Grab him, that's dinner!" he called out seeing a large fish swim by. Because, contrary to popular belief, the lake was full of fish. They just needed the right moment to show themselves.

"No, he's not. We're having a traditional Chulakian meal. You promised Teal'c," Daniel reminded him with a semi-scold.

Mock sigh, "so I did. Let's get the place cleaned up. They'll be here soon."

"Why must I help? I'm an invalid."

"Half of its yours and don't try that I'm injured routine, it doesn't work on me." Shoes squelching all the way, they made their way into the cabin.

End, Act 7.


	8. Chapter Eight

Author's Note: Season 4 and 5 rewrites. A big reminder cause its important or the story won't make any sense. I took out "Upgrades" (not happening. Or at least, not to SG-1) and moved "Beneath the Surface" to before "Divide and Conquer". And "Menace" is before "Summit" and "Last Stand".

6

Jonah went back to the spot the three of them had semi-claimed as their own. Life was confusing since Tor had spoken of their connection. Karlin tried to recall on his own but was now trying to push them into this madness. Thera seemed to believe them as well.

Only, the more he tried to think about it, the weirder this world was. And the more he wanted to stay in his dream world.

Because now there was something troubling in his feelings for Thera. Before, their relationship had seemed natural. Now, there was a sense of wrongness in it. The feelings he felt for her now were those of a brother for a sister.

So, he was left feeling slightly sickened by how they had acted before. He knew Thera felt the same way by her refusal to meet his eyes for long. And the way she wouldn't be alone with him. They'd have to do something about that-and soon.

656

Jack sat in the den. Janet was in her room, finishing her preparations for the long night before them. "Jan, I have something to tell you."

"Did anything happen?" she asked, appearing behind him.

"What?" he looked up at her, startled.

"Between you and Sam. Did something happen that I need to worry about?" Her eyes were kind, full of understanding.

"No. Even when I couldn't remember, something held me back. And once the door on my memory opened, it felt wrong. I felt dirty, like I was cheapening a very good relationship by thinking of her as anything but my sister."

"Then there's nothing to discuss." And that was the end of it as far as Janet was concerned. If there were any troubles, they'd face them together.

6

Anise sighed, shaking her head. The futility of their struggle against the truth bothered her. Why could they not just accept the results of her test? Why must they insist on doing it again on the basis on one person's theory? No matter if that person was smarter than the average Tua'ri. As painful as it was to accept, the Colonel and the Major were zatarcs.

Yet the order had been given.

"What happened on your last mission?" She asked the same question of him that had revealed him a zatarc.

"SG-1 gated to a world that seemed to be technologically advanced. They were interested in a treaty and gave us a tour of their world. I was horrified by the truth I found and told their leader, Calder, that I would advise against forming an alliance with a nation that enslaved half its population. He seemed to accept it but offered to show us some of their technology anyway. Though I felt that we should leave, under the advice of Major Carter, we went with him.

"Somehow, they managed to stamp us. I'm not quite sure when that happened, but we joined their work force. Whether it was for our comfort or just because they didn't think there would be any harm in it, we were housed in the same work area. We all awoke with new identities. Major Carter and I became friends with potential."

"Potential for what?"

"A sexual relationship," he answered baldly.

"Why did you not mention this before?"

"There was no need to, my feelings died when my memory returned," he replied.

Her eye remained on the controls; there was no change in them. He was being completely honest. "Is there another reason to remain quiet?"

"I care for Carter more than the regs say I should. She's family. But there are some here who would make more of my comment than is intended, which is harmful to her. They would believe that she has done nothing to earn her medals and rewards like other soldiers have."

She released him and tested Major Carter. "According to the Colonel, you were stamped with new memories. How did this situation affect your relationship with the Colonel?"

Freed from the constraint of holding her tongue by his honesty, Sam's replies were as bluntly honest as his were. "What the Colonel says is correct. We did form a sexual attraction. But it died as our memories became clearer."

"You agree with his reasons for silence then?"

"Yes, because he is correct. There are many who already think that there is something more to our friendship than there is. He is the pain in the butt, older brother I never wanted but the gods gave me anyway. I prefer the mischievous younger brother who teases me over the overbearing one he has a tendency to be."

"They are clean," she announced, somewhat surprised.

"If I may ask you a question, Anise?" she waited for the nod. "Why didn't Jolinar's presence protect me more as Teal'c's symbiote did him? Should I not have regained my memory sooner?"

The Tok'Ra scientist thought about that for a moment. "A very good question, Major. I can only offer you a theory that the process impedes the symbiote because the programming is placed inside your mind. Even if the symbiote feels that something is wrong, since it is part of the memory, it does not have a clear view of what is wrong. Thus, it can offer no aid because it has been stamped as well."

Carter nodded, "that makes sense."

Like wildflower, Jack's confession spread around the base. And, true to both soldiers' predictions, there was a whole lot of speculation about them and how far things had truly gone between them. But when Martouf pulled a gun on the president, all talk stopped cold.

Carter and Jack went into the room. "Martouf, you don't want to do this!" She cried out even as she aimed her zat at him. There was a brief conflict with the symbiote but her training held her strong and she remained in control.

His hand wavered, "stop me, Samantha. Do not let me suffer."

"I cannot allow that, Martouf. You are part of me," Jolinar proclaimed, taking control of the body and dropping the gun. She stepped into the room, blocking the president.

"Would you have me die by my own hand then?" The gun turned, aiming for his forehead.

"NO!" Jolinar cried.

The gun stopped, dropping and Jack leapt at him, taking the gun and tossing it out of the room. "Daniel, clear the room!" he ordered, attention focused on the distressed man.

"I must stay," Jolinar tried to fight the arm that grasped her.

"You have to go. Jack will pull him through. Trust him."

"How can you be so sure?" she harshly demanded. "You who know nothing the pain I am going through to be separated from my love."

Though he flinched at the harsh and hateful words, he held onto her until the door was sealed behind them.

His hands grasped her chin and turned it up to his face and he stared at her. Pained eyes gripped hers and forced them to remain connected, "he pulled me through sarcophagus withdrawal. He's survived addiction to a morphine and cocaine cocktail. Just trust him. He doesn't let us down in the field, why should he here?"

She was silent and stayed by the door after he'd released her. Hour after agonizing hour passed slowly and she remained there, steady as a sentinel at his post. Janet joined her after seeing to her duties, they both were quiet.

The door opened slowly and Jack stumbled out, completely supporting an exhausted Martouf. "He's not out of the woods yet. But he's a fighter. Stay with him, Carter, give him your support but never indulge his fits too much. That will cripple him." He then collapsed into Janet's warmth, weary.

"I do not understand how he accomplished this feat. All of our resources say that there is no way to break free from the control save death or completion of the mission." Anise spoke for all the confused Tok'Ra.

"Jack hug therapy," Janet replied, letting Teal'c and Daniel lift his weight from her. Her hand stroked back the hair, concerned by the faint bruises revealed. "I swear by it."

"Why did he turn to you when the one he lied for is by your side?"

Janet whirled around, leveling them all with a acidic glare. "Listen to me, you badly dressed whore. Jack has a big heart capable of loving a lot of people. People he would lie for to save. Samantha Carter is a sister to him. He adores her and would do anything to avoid besmirching her reputation due to what some may make of his confession. Anyone who knows him knows that his team is his family. That they all are his life's blood. This is something that our government finds risky because it may lead to bad decisions in the field."

Daniel rested his hand on the angry woman's shoulder warily. "Jack's calling for you."

"I don't want to see you again. And if you or anyone else dares to insinuate a thing about them, I will remove lips and limbs! Without anesthetic or tools!" She left no one in doubt that she meant every word. Even the Marines knew better than to mess with her.

6

"Daniel, you would not believe what I have been up to since your 'no consequences' discussion." Jack announced as he waltzed into the office.

He glared at him, "I know what you aren't doing, Jack, so why should I care about how childish you're acting?"

"I'm hurt, Danny. I've finally found a hobby," he pouted.

"One that doesn't include annoying me when I should be working on a problem you swear is happening?" he snapped out tersely.

Jack sighed and sat down, studying the work before him, making a decision. Leaping up, he grabbed Daniel. "Come on, you're taking this loop off."

"What?" he gasped, jaw dropping in astonishment.

"Yup," he grinned at him. "Seems my favorite archaeologist, linguist, and anthropologist needs some newness, so let's go. I've been dying to try Carter's new motorcycle now that she and Siler upgraded it."

"Jack, she'll kill you when she gets back from Emain Macha," he was horrified.

"No consequences, remember? Trust me on this," Jack had his hand under Daniel's elbow in a loose grip. He knew his friend could break away at anytime.

"Oh, fine," he gave up. It did sound better than staying here on his own. And, if Jack was to be believed, what was the harm?

656

"How long?" Jack asked, spitting out his juice.

"Six months, sir."

"Explains the tan," Daniel handed him some napkins and helped mop up the spill.

"Anything interesting happened during that time?" she asked.

Jack's lips curled up slowly, remembering. They waited for him to tell them what he did, curious as to what had caused that expression on his face. But he couldn't be drawn into a confession. Some things were better left unsaid-especially when it included a certain ride through the mountain on a certain someone's forbidden on penalty of death motorcycle.

6

"You do make some odd friends," Jack observed as they walked to the gate.

"Well, after you, the Unas was easy," he retorted. "Where's Robert?"

"Cimmeria. Seems that there were some friendlies in the water who wanted to be more than friends," he replied.

"You don't mean?" Daniel was horrified.

"RobertRothman had the misfortune of becoming a Goa'uld," Teal'c intoned.

"Are you sure he went into the maze?"

"Garwyn assured us that he did indeed go into the maze," Teal'c assured him.

"That's good. But what if?"

"I'll go myself and see how he's doing. If necessary, I'll enter the maze and get him to chase me out. Garwyn can show me the way," Jack offered.

"I'd appreciate that," Daniel was relieved.

6

"Too close, Jack. All of these accidents are just too close," Janet spoke without warning, startling him. They were at the park, feeding the birds. "I don't think I can do this anymore-especially since Cassie's becoming an adult and acting like it. She's dating now, a nice boy. Getting involved in school plays. Looking at job options. She's searching for a good college. I don't know how much more I can take."

Jack was silent. His arm rested on the back of the bench. "Its your decision, Jan. No matter what, I will always be your friend."

Part of her was relieved by his attitude. She didn't want to fight over this. But she was also angry with him for not fighting with her about this decision. It was like he didn't care enough about her to try to stop her from going. Sitting in silence, they embraced the memory of the past they had shared, even as they let go of their present together in order to embrace the future.

6

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you? Someone else can go after Rothman," Jack asked, concerned.

Daniel nodded at him, touched. "Go. I'll be fine. Besides, I think you need to get away where you can relax. An archaeologist's funeral is hardly that place."

He relented after studying Daniel, "I'll see you in a few days then."

From the ramp, he watched Jack enter and disappear. "You could've said good-bye, he wouldn't have minded at all, Janet."

"It isn't fair to either of us," she replied softly. "Saying good-bye seems so wrong when I want him to hold me and tell me that everything's going to be all right. I want him to hold on and never let me go."

They began to walk out, "why don't you tell him?"

"Because it was time. Holding on while proclaiming that I want to more from life is not my way. Besides, I need more in my life, Jack can't give me that. He's content and I need to experience more from life. Jack understands that, he told me the day would come when he would no longer be enough." There was an undertone of bitterness, as if she blamed him for her feelings.

"Hurts?"

She nodded, then walked off. At the corner, she faced him. "If you need anything, call."

"I will," he watched her disappear.

656

Jack ambled through the gate, Rothman limping beside him. "Dr. Warner? Is everything ok?" Even though the situation between him and Janet was tense, she had always been at the gate when there was an injury. Her missing presence sent off alarm bells within him.

"Everything's fine," he replied. "This way."

Brown eyes narrowed, he knew redirection when he heard it. Something was definitely wrong around the SGC. After a quick shower, he changed and headed out. A sharp cry for help hit him, reverberating in his head.

Storming into the control room, he faced the General, practically snarling at him as he turned to face him. "Where's Daniel...and Dr. Fraiser and Major Carter?" he added.

Hesitating for a moment, he told Jack about the Goa'uld jars and the live one who'd taken possession of one of Daniel's old acquaintances. He watched the Colonel leave the room, almost worried. But he knew that Jack kept a plane on the base for emergencies. Siler made sure it was kept in perfect working order.

As long as Jack was in control of the situation, he would not harm others. Besides, Teal'c was with the team and would watch over the situation.

Sergeant Davis was waiting for the colonel, items in hand. "Passport. A couple changes of clothes. This is a case to hide the zat guns you'll need. Good luck, sir. I'll be guiding you, and they are expecting your presence. Sorry I couldn't do anything about the customs but you will have to land."

"Understood, thank you, Walter. Your riding shot gun is all the luck I need." Jack climbed in and did a quick run down. Starting the motor, he waited for the all clear from Walter. A movement to his left startled him, but not enough to run him aground. "Marty?"

"My life is in danger. You did not expect me to stay behind, did you?"

"I didn't know you were even here. I can't fault your reasons. Do you have identification?" he asked.

Martouf nodded, strapping himself into the seat. "In order to meet Samantha's family, I needed the proof of identity. General Hammond has been most gracious."

"Do you know how to fly?"

"Yes. I have seen enough of Samantha's skills and can get by from what I observe by watching you."

"Good, I may need you to spell me. Which one are we facing off with?"

"Osiris. He is ruler of the gods, having taken the position from Apophis due to his wife's cleverness and impatience. Of all the gods, he is the only one who ruled both the living and the dead. Thus, he is known as the "Lord of All". It was he who created the idea that the pharaohs were gods in mortal flesh. Betrayed and killed by his brother, he is the first to be mummified."

Jack's teeth clenched, "these guys just get better the more I hear about them. Get some sleep, I'll wake you when I want you to take over."

656

Hearing voices, the two slunk against the walls on opposite sides of the pyramid. They peered around a corner and saw a woman-Osiris-stumble away from Daniel. Opening a console, she reached for one of the buttons or switches. Without another thought, Jack fired once and she dropped.

"What took you so long?" Daniel groused.

Jack ignored him, tying up the blonde woman. "Are there anymore?"

"No. Since both symbiotes were in trapped, there were no followers. Isis is dead. Teal'c is trapped somewhere in there." He gestured to a chamber off to their right.

Jack nodded and made his way down that way, taking care to make noise so as not to startle him. "Teal'c? You in there?'

"I am right here." Once freed, the two made their way back out into the main chamber.

Martouf roused Sam, then went to check on Janet. "They are fine." A familiar ringing sound entered the room and they looked over in shock. The body was surrounded by rings and carried away. Martouf ran over and tried to bring her back down. He cursed, turning to them regretfully. "She's out of range."

"Let's go before they decide to blow us up." Jack ordered, helping Daniel to his feet quickly. Teal'c carried the unconscious Steven while Sam and Martouf aided Janet out of the pyramid. She didn't fight them much, though she hated to lean on them.

Sam stared up at the ship for a moment, shocked. It was unlike any of the other Goa'uld vessels they had seen, there was a sleekness about it that spoke of other technologies creating it. "I am not explaining that, so don't even think about trying to claim it, sir," she said, interpreting the look on the colonel's face.

Jack let out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding when the ship left. "Let's call home and get the General to handle this discovery. It is a big thing, right?"

Daniel nodded, "oh, yeah. Big, big thing. Robert?"

"Is anxious to see you, something about Cleopatra," he ended, looking at him in question.

"Do they know you're here? I mean, the Egyptian authorities," Sam asked, seeing the stubborn line of Daniel's chin. From experience, she knew that the situation should be diffused before the colonel got into his teasing.

"That's why we were late, customs was a pain. But we've got rooms, so Marty will take you and D..."

"I'm staying with you. They can take him," Daniel flatly interrupted.

Though startled, he nodded. "All right. Teal'c, you and Daniel will stay with me. Jan, will you be all right with Marty and Carter?" They'd talk later.

She nodded, sipping the water gratefully.

6

"You are good with kids. Have you not thought of having your own?"

Sam shook her head, handing him a glass of ice tea. "I can handle them on a short term basis but long term? I'm looking at justifiable homicide."

Martouf smiled and squeezed her hand, "I believe you sell yourself, and your considerable abilities, short. For myself, I fear that with the life I live, it would be more damaging than loving to any child. The constant fear and moving? How can that be good for them?"

"And you don't think my life is as dangerous?" she asked, archly.

"Your situation differs from my own. You have family and friends to help you carry that burden. I deeply envy that, Samantha."

"The colonel's practically adopted you," she snickered at his expression. "How is it that you haven't noticed?"

"He does not like me," he objected.

"Actually, he does. I'm not the only one who heard him say he 'platonically adores you'. And he has nicknamed you, Marty, something he only does for those he cares about. You earned his trust when you trusted his crazy intuition about getting away from Sokar. You also let him call the shots about my state of mind-even though you know Jolinar best."

"I thought he was crazy to believe that we would get out alive," he recalled. "There was no conceivable way that we should have."

She smiled, "that's the colonel. And you followed him."

"And told Apophis what he wanted to know," he said, glumly.

"Yet, it was then that he called you Marty. He may not have understood why but he understood that you had reasons."

They quietly enjoyed the sunset, secure in each other. "If I were to apply for the right to live here, would you think me terribly forward?"

"Go ahead, be forward. I have more than enough room for it," she purred.

6

"This goes against everything I have worked for and believe in, Jack." Janet hissed, the door slamming shut behind her. "Teal'c is dying while he's under my care! And they won't let me do a thing to help him. I'm expected to sit back and let it happen."

"I know, Jan, it kills me to. But we don't have a voice in this. Drey'ac is his wife. She is the only one who can truly say what happens to him. We can't interfere in their beliefs and call ourselves their friends," he soothed her. It was what Daniel was constantly reminding him of. And he found it as irritating as Janet did, though it was a truth they had to learn to live with. "There is more at stake here than a life. We are talking about Teal'c's soul."

"It hurts, Jack, so much. He's my friend." She choked on the words and looked at him helplessly. No matter the end of their romance, they were still friends and she pleaded with him for comfort. He embraced her, letting her cry, even as tears escaped him.

656

"Daniel, you know the most about these kinds of rituals. Are we wrong to allow it while he's here?" Sam asked.

Daniel leaned back, studying her as she approached his desk. "I've been sitting here, asking myself that very same thing."

"And?" she prodded, sitting on the stool.

"I have no real answer," he replied, helplessly. "The anthropologist is thrilled to see their beliefs in action. The archaeologist wants to take notes for posterity and study it to see how they affect the race in general. The linguist wants to write the speech because it is beautiful and haunting. But the friend that I am wants to rail against the barbarity of this ritual. My brother is dying and I want to give him aid. Medicine, even his symbiote if that's what he needs to live. Anything to end his agony, even if it means that we lose him."

"How is it that we can feel similar emotions, yet you express it better?"

"Words are my work, my life."

656

Teal'c waved and went through he gate, his family with him. Though still greatly weakened, there was a spring in his steps that pleased them all. Once more, the Jaffa was himself.

"Do you think Apophis is really dead this time, Jack?"

"I doubt even he could survive the bugs and a fiery crash, Daniel," Jack shrugged. "But it's best not to underestimate the jerk. I certainly hope so. His face is one I can do without."

"You won't hear any argument from me with that one, Jack."

"That's a first, can I get another?" he teased his friend.

"Nope," he cheerfully replied.

"Let's celebrate, Teal'c. He's certainly worth celebrating, wouldn't you say?" Carter asked.

"You paying, Carter?"

Janet laughed, "food is still your prerogative, I believe."

"Figures," he mock grumbled as they made they way towards the elevators. "General, soup's on."

"I'll meet you later. I have a few things to finish," he waved them off.

"Holding you to it, sir. We'll call with the details."

"It's O'Malleys, as usual," Daniel corrected him.

Shaking his head in amusement, the general wondered how he'd ended up with such unique individuals in his base. And why it was still standing. Then again, with all they had accomplished, would he really want others?

6

Orlin watched the strangers who had come through the gate. All four seemed to be doing different things under the gray headed ones orders. Speaking of him, he just walked about, doing what amounted to nothing in his eyes. But it was the woman's reaction to his creation that he found intriguing. He saw her reach out and tensed, this would not end well if she was reaching for what he thought she was.

"Carter! What have I told Daniel about doing that?"

Her hand jerked back as though she'd been burned. "Do not touch. But, sir, this is part of that object. I need to try to rework the mechanism to see if..."

"Not until Daniel translates the writing he found on that column thing. Whatever wiped out this place came from this area. I don't want to trigger another eruption."

"With all due respect, sir, you don't know that for sure."

"Teal'c's observation and knowledge are good enough for me. Also, I've see damage like this before." His face was full of remembered pain, though she could not recognize it. "Not pretty. Just leave it alone for now."

She sighed, leaning against the wall. "Very well, sir. Daniel will tell me when he's done, right?"

He nodded and left.

For a while, she studied the notes she'd made and the objects left behind. But her gaze would often return to the crystals. "Surely it wouldn't hurt to just pick one up and sketch it." She mused, rising to her feet to move to the crystals. If she was quick and careful, she could make a schematic of it and return it to its rightful place. The colonel would never know, she tried to reason with herself, and she would tell him if it became necessary.

"Actually, it would." Orlin appeared in front of her. He couldn't bear it if another was hurt due to his interference. "I should know. I created it."

"Who are you?" she asked, P-90 trained on him. She stared at him warily.

"I am Orlin," he bowed and smiled at her. "You are Major Samantha Carter. And you must be the inquisitive Doctor Daniel Jackson I've heard so much about."

"Yes," the being who had addressed Daniel without turning around disconcerted him. The prescient knowledge directed at him reminded him of someone he'd met before. "How did you know that?"

"Through Oma Dessala," he began.

"Oh, for crying out loud. One of her people," Jack gripped, entering the room. "Didn't you guys get enough jollies out of ripping Daniel's heart from his chest the first time?"

"The removal of the Harsesis child was made possible through his sacrifice. No other option was available for the sake of his safety," Orlin explained, puzzled by his attitude. "I do not believe harming Daniel Jackson was the goal behind Oma's actions."

"Lovely sentiments," he mocked his words. "But it doesn't console a grieving father. Nor does it explain to a little girl why she no longer has her beloved brother to play with. It doesn't help a grandfather who loved both and feels like he cannot even protect his granddaughter now."

"Jack," Daniel soothed, "its not his fault. Would you tell us what happened?" he redirected the conversation. What happened with Shifu was still a sore subject with him and Jack, one of the only things they couldn't agree on. But it was also the start of his believing that his friend was being honest with him, that he unreservedly trusted him. So, he couldn't truly regret what happened.

"I wanted to help the people who lived here against the Goa'uld. As we are not supposed to interfere on a large scale level, I was punished for doing so. They descended me and denied me peace by forcing me to remain here to drink in the dregs of my failure. This weapon will do nothing for you, Colonel O'Neill, I created it. I am asking you to destroy it."

"Sir, you can't," Sam blurted out. "We can use it."

Jack was staring at Orlin, ignoring everyone around him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It can only bring death to those who use it."

"Will our C-4 be enough?"

"I believe so." He knew of this explosive through his previous watching of the Earth teams.

"Teal'c, get it. Daniel, take the Major out if she refuses to help."

Orlin watched them as they set the explosives on his device and around it. Carter walked in and he thought she was going to protest again. Instead, she handed something to O'Neill, murmuring something about it being an enhancer.

"We should leave," he put it in the center of the room. "Let's go, Oreo."

"She was right, you are irreverent." Then the meaning behind his words sunk in. "I'm to go with you?"

"Unless you want to stay," Jack snapped.

"No, that's all right." He hurried to catch up with the man already striding away.

They made their way to the gate and set off the charge from there. "In a few days, we should have the Asgard make sure we were successful. If we weren't, they are the best ones to take care that this weapon does not fall into the wrong hands."

"Good idea, Daniel." He turned to face his disappointed second, "next time."

"Yes, sir."

6

"Why do you invite everyone to go fishing with you?"

"You invited the alien to go fishing?" Janet asked, hearing Sam's question.

"He has also asked Thor," Teal'c added.

"Cassie likes it," he defended himself.

Daniel smiled, "only because she whips you every time."

He sniffed, ignoring the remark. "And we call him Tyler. Only Daniel could pronounce his real name. Besides, Thor could have used the break, Freyr doesn't seem to like him."

"If you say so, Jack. Let's get this over with, Cassie's play begins in two hours. I promised we'd be on time. For once," she added wryly.

656

"You're actually here," Cassie exclaimed, smiling. "I've saved seats for you."

"Thank the gods for you, Cassie. I usually end up in the nose bled section," Jack praised, falling onto his knees. "You rule my world!"

"Jack! Stop it!" She protested, blushing hotly. "You're embarrassing me."

"Yeah, Jack, stop. Everyone knows its me Cassie prefers to rule over," Daniel whapped him.

"In you dreams," Jack retorted as he rose.

"Reality," he shot back.

"Guys, this is embarrassing."

"Take it outside, boys. Or else," Janet chided them, fighting a smile of her own. "You better get back stage, Cassie."

"Yes, mom."

"Break a leg," Sam hugged her quickly before she could escape.

"Thanks."

6

Cassie lay in the bed, her eyes flitting all over the room, betraying her nervousness. Nirti had done something to her. That horrible creature that had once tried to use her to kill the personnel of the SGC had been here. Now, she had the audacity to make a mockery of her people's honor. Their beliefs.

The more she learned of them, the more she hated this race called the Goa'uld.

And her mom, Janet Fraiser, had faced her down-even after she had treated her so coldly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Mom, I'm sorry." She burst out, struggling against the wires to free herself. All she wanted was to bury herself in those arms.

Janet rushed to her side and held her tight. Both let the tears fall. "I know, sweetie, I know. I love you. It'll be okay."

End, Act 8.


	9. Chapter Nine

Jack pounded the bag, occasionally moving away to kick at it a few times. Kawalsky stood off to the side and watched him, warily.

SG-1's mission had been a walking disaster from the get go. On the surface, it was a typical search and rescue mission. They gated to a world were Daniel would pull off his usual miraculous translating magic and they would find the Russians, bringing them home.

But that's not what happened.

This time, there was something waiting for them. A flesh-eating creature had been imprisoned with a Goa'uld and had been repeatedly killing it every time the snake revived before it jumped hosts. It had become a nightmarish, death trap and the Russians paid the price for their secrecy. Their determination to get that artifact. They all died, save one.

From experience, Charlie knew that Jack was taking the Russians deaths to heart. They may not have been on his team permanently but they were a part of his command. Their deaths meant that he had failed as a leader.

Everyone now knew what had happened in the meeting with the Russian general. He had practically accused Jack of killing his team. Kawalsky shook his head at Ferretti, not time yet. Both men waited silently at their posts, trying to keep well meaning-but unknowledgeable people-mainly Dr. MacKenzie-away.

After which, it was up to Teal'c to take point and look scary while Dr. Jackson healed the Colonel. As only he could.

6

"He's coming?" Jack's voice asked. There was a barely disguised growl of disgust and anger in it, though some hope that he'd heard wrong.

Over the phone line, Daniel's voice came to him, sympathetic though the phone line made it sound distant and cold. "He wants to protect his investment. Meaning that he wants to keep an eye on the DHD, afraid we'll steal it or something."

"Daniel, you know I want to be there to support you but..."

He filled in the blanks. "It would be better for diplomatic relations if you were elsewhere."

"Exactly," he paused, thinking of someway he should make up for his desertion. Even if it was understandable. "When it's over, meet me in Glastonbury. There's a few tales that I'd like to share with you that sound better there. Plus, it's much safer."

"All right. I'll tell you about Teal'c's fate," the statement sounded more like a question.

"Great. Teal'c knows. That's one of the reasons behind his decision to join us," he told him, reading between the lines of Daniel's words. He recalled that he had never told his friend what Teal'c had told him after they had broken Apophis' mind control and restored him to himself. Jack still found himself unbelieving of the Jaffa's knowledge-though he shouldn't have been. Teal'c picked up on a lot of things and would have noticed the physical differences of Jack's body while he had been in it.

He should've confronted him then. Asked him what he knew. But it didn't seem worth the effort because Teal'c was someone he trusted.

"So, that's why you still trusted him after Apophis' brainwashing. He kept your secret safe from his 'god'," Daniel exclaimed. "I always wondered."

"I finally asked him how he resisted telling him," he was silent for a moment. "T couldn't explain it, just that he knew no word of my true character should pass his lips. We've got to get him back."

"We will," Daniel vowed. "One way or another, I will see it done."

"I know you will," Jack replied before hanging up. Daniel knew why he had to go, now all he had to do was come up with a plausible reason for the general.

656

Sam sighed, relaxing against Martouf on the swing. "I hate to admit it but even the Goa'uld have their moments of charity."

His hand ran through her hair, "it would seem so, Samantha. It would have been grievous to lose one such as Teal'c. But I cannot help but wonder what the Goa'uld will exact as payment for his generosity."

"The General feels the same way," she replied.

"And what of Colonel O'Neill?"

"Daniel's going to tell him."

He echoed her wince. "As cowardly as this may sound, I am glad it is not me."

"You aren't alone in that sentiment," she said.

6

"Be careful, Daniel."

"Why? Don't you trust me to do a mission like this without you?"

Jack inhaled sharply, then slowly let it out. "I trust you. It's the company you'll be keeping that I don't trust-especially if Osiris shows up."

Daniel's eyes froze, "so, I may behave unprofessionally when I meet up with her, is that it?"

"No. I'm trying to..."

"So, I'm not bad at undercover, just a liability when old lovers are the foes?"

"Daniel," he tried again.

"Don't worry, Colonel. I can be as emotionally dead as you when I need to be." He left the room, his steps sure but Jack stayed back, shaken by the vehemence in his friend's attitude towards him.

Could it be because of what happened with Reece? He had thought that Daniel understood why he had done it. Why he had to do it. With the base about to blow up, there was no time to make another move. They had seemed to come to an understanding when they had talked about it later.

Now, he wasn't so sure.

656

"Marty, we don't leave anyone behind, if we can help it. I am not leaving you," Jack looked around, then at Daniel and Jacob. "Is the shuttle an option?"

"No. But it will buy us time as they search it and the area surrounding it. Why?" Jacob asked, his gaze on Martouf's injured body doubtful. "He won't make it that far, Jack."

"Do you have any of this?" he rattled off a list of odd items.

"Yes, why?"

He gave an enigmatic smile, those who knew him felt more than a little nervous. "I'm having what some would call a MacGyver moment."

Jacob's eyes widened and he snapped. "This is not the time to indulge in fantasies, Jack."

"Do it, Jacob," Daniel interrupted quietly. "Jack's never let us down before." But his eyes didn't leave his friend's.

"I will help you gather the requested items," Teal'c offered.

"Sam, would you please talk some sense into them? This is insane."

"You owe it to us to try, dad. I believe I know what he's planning to do." Sam replied, though silently agreeing with her father. What was the Colonel up to? Did he honestly think that he could work up a solution like the legendary MacGyver?

He gave in and followed Teal'c. "This is absolutely crazy."

"Crazy has yet to fail us," Teal'c replied stoically.

656

They made it home, safe and sound. After debriefing the General, the team went their separate ways to write their reports and get their physicals. Sam and Jacob went out to dinner, while Martouf stayed behind for observation. He felt foolish, knowing that Lantash would care for his needs sufficiently but knew that it would relieve Samantha's mind.

"_You do much to please this Tua'ri woman_," his friend noted.

"_I do, do you find it offensive_?"

"_Not at all, for she does the same for you. Your emotions do us no harm_."

Martouf was silent, "_I had begun to fear that I was losing my objectivity. To hear you speak so, relieves my mind_."

"_I know it has. Your sleep has oft been troubled. But I would not let you stray into such dangerous paths_," he replied.

"_What do you mean_?"

"_Nothing that would go against all we believe, my friend_."

Though he did not fear that Lantash would take over his body, he knew that it must mean that he would seek another host. "Y_ou would do without Jolinar_?"

"_In comparison to our life span, yours is short. I would that you enjoy what time with Samantha and her as you can_," he finally answered the question.

It was not much of an answer but it was enough for Martouf. "_I would miss you if it came to that_."

"_And I, you_."

656

"MacGyver moment?" Daniel cornered Jack in his office where the man had been hiding from him. "Is there something you wish to tell me?" There was anger in his voice and hurt too. He had finally begun to believe that Jack had stopped keeping secrets from him-though he did know that his Black Ops years were off limits. Those were things he had no desire to learn. Those years haunted his friend enough-and he knew what they would do to his own peace of mind.

But this was something different. Something important to who Jack was. MacGyver literally _was_ a legend. And if Jack knew him-if Jack _was_ him-why did he say nothing to him about it?

Surely he wasn't _ashamed_ of it?

Jack fought the urge to tell him what he wanted to know valiantly. Quite a fight because it went against his own nature to deny his friend the knowledge he sought. "Why do you feel I owe you an explanation? Your performance a few days ago led me to believe that you wished to have nothing more to do with me."

"About that, I'm sorry." The linguist collapsed onto the empty chair, shaking his head and almost wished for the other one Jack had. He shouldn't be so comfortable for this, it wasn't right. "I had no right to say those things-especially to you."

"Why?"

"Sometimes I feel like I need to justify my position as more than voice for the SGC," he paused, gathering his thoughts together. It was important that Jack understand him in this. "You, Teal'c, and Sam all have 'hands' moments. Except for when I need to fight, all of my work has been spoken. I have nothing to show after five years working here. And don't bring up treaties, they rarely hold."

Jack silently studied him, before speaking. "You have SG-1. Do we mean so little to you?"

"What?" he stammered, startled by the question.

Jack rose and stood in front of him, studying the bent head. "Look at me, Daniel. This is important," he waited patiently for the blue eyes to rise to meet his. "We are your life's work, Daniel. We are more than a team because of you. That ability to force us to see beyond our training, to look for other solutions to our problems, to listen to others and not think that we are the supreme rulers of all we survey is because of you. Don't you get it, Daniel? SG-1 is the premiere team because of you.

"You are our voice, yes. We need that voice, annoying though it sometimes can be. But you are also the soul. It is together that we make the impossible possible. Without you here, our world would be gone. We know of two examples were this is truth. Daniel, you are the linchpin. I just wish you could see it."

The room fell silent, almost heavy with the weight of the words. Jack held Daniel's eyes for a long time before letting them drop away. This wouldn't be the time but he knew that one day Daniel would realize just how valuable he was. And he hoped that he was around to see it.

Because every word was true. Without Daniel, they would fall.

6

Daniel was waiting for them when they returned from disabling the bomb. Once they were out of their suits, he smacked Jack, "think you took long enough to tell us that everything was fine?"

"Had a MacGyver moment," he shrugged.

"Of course you did," his reply was dry. "And what does that mean anyway?"

"Back in special ops, I was sent to learn from a man by that name. It was more my decision than theirs but I convinced them that it would be a good idea to learn of other ways to solve problems than just guns. There have been many times when my life has been saved through such 'outlandishness' as the big man calls them. Take the bomb, all the wires were yellow. If I hadn't had that 'MacGyver' moment, I would've cut the wrong one."

The explanation came easily to him now. In the back of his mind, something twinged guiltily, reminding him that he had not told Daniel all. Following Teal'c and Daniel to Carter, he pushed it aside. While fun, his time as MacGyver was more dream than reality.

656

They were having a barbeque to celebrate and General Hammond provided the food, though the entertainment still seemed to Jack's domain. His granddaughters ran around screaming as Jack chased them in full bear mode. Daniel's head shook as he watched Jack tumble onto his knees before rising and continuing to chase his 'dinner'. _Oh, he'd be moaning all weekend because of that little stunt_, he thought ruefully.

He and Teal'c waited in beneath the shady trees, watching their antics, relaxing, and sipping iced tea. There was still a light twinge of guilt as Daniel watched the general moving about, preparing for their dinner. But he'd learned not to offer help, his hand had smarted for weeks after their last picnic.

A blast of water soaked the colonel suddenly, unbalancing him, and they chuckled as Cassie gave a battle cry. The sixteen year old then leapt on him, taking him down and covering his clothes in mud. "Get him, girls!"

Daniel let out a howl of laughter as they surrounded Jack. It was an all out tickle fest, the girls definitely having the advantage over him. Teal'c's eyebrow raised, "should we not rescue him from them, DanielJackson?"

"Why? Jack got himself into that mess, let the great warrior get himself out," his voice trailed off as he saw a familiar pair. "Teal'c, why didn't you tell us?"

"Inform you of what?"

"That you were going to be a father."

"My husband did not know until this moment," Drey'ac answered for the Jaffa. Her arms wrapped around him affectionately. "Hello, father to be."

Ry'ac smiled a greeting at his father before going towards the scuffle. The position of his head said that he felt a dilemma. Should he help out his 'uncle' Jack? Or the superior warriors in this unequal battle? He was not Teal'c's son by accident and threw in his lot with the colonel, deciding to battle the seemingly unconquerable odds.

Sam and Martouf followed Janet, stopping in shock. Janet shook her head, "good thing I brought extra clothes."

Martouf stared at her, "this happens a lot?"

"Every time they get together where there's enough room," Sam answered.

"You Tua'ri are a strange race. I like it," Martouf replied after a moment.

"Good. Because I don't intend to let you go," Sam glanced at him mischievously. Her arm tightened around him and her smile widened when his own surrounded her shoulders.

6

Jack listened to Carter go on about this element, this naquadriah. Or whatever the devil the stuff was. "Carter, how exactly does any of this help Daniel?" He finally lost patience and asked outright.

She stopped, "it doesn't, sir. You've heard the prognosis from Janet. There's nothing we can do for him."

"What about his reputation then? They're trying to pin this on him because they don't want to admit to their own incompetence and murder. Because that's what this is," he ran frustrated hands through his hair.

"What can we say, sir?" she asked. "They won't believe us over their own people. They have no reason to. As far as they are concerned, we are the interlopers. And we need this element, sir. There's nothing like it on Earth, even naquadah doesn't come close."

"I'm glad you aren't my commanding officer. That element gets most of your compassion, your attention. You scientists with your inhuman dispassion about people's feelings really bother me! And I thought you were better than most of the breed."

Sam watched him go, the door slamming behind him. "Do you think that you're the only one hurt by this?" she asked the silent air.

656

"I understand how you feel because I feel the same way. But I cannot stress how important it is that we get a sample of this element," she tried to soothe him.

"Oh, do you? Thanks for telling me, I wasn't sure. Your behavior seems so sorrowful for what's happening here," he sarcastically snipped. "I'm so glad you don't get the chance to make the hard choices of life over science, Carter. Your science will always come before the human race. At least it doesn't die and will always give you the accolades you seek. Its something you can study and predict unlike the human race-and it will never cause you pain."

"Colonel," General Hammond warned.

"No, sir. Her observations, the notes we were able to procure prove that the element is unstable for practical use. She told me so-both parts of her did. Daniel is dying and while we sit here, they crucify him to save their imaginary honor. Are we to serve him up to them on a silver platter to get an element that even the Tok'Ra don't know a thing about? I may not be their biggest fan, but even I believe that they know more about these things than we do. Shouldn't we trust their disbelief?"

"That's enough," he snapped. "I've written a letter..."

"General, you cannot capitulate to these liars."

"Give me some credit, Colonel." There was no hostility in the voice, only resignation. "You will deliver this letter which states that we never gave the order for this act. It neither accepts Daniel's culpability in this. Nor does it deny it."

"General," he protested.

"This is not debatable."

A paper slammed down on the desk, his tone was abrupt. "Neither is this, sir. Once Daniel is gone, so am I."

The chair practically screamed as he shoved it back roughly. It clattered to the floor as he stood up. "You both disgust me. We are losing the best part of us and all you want is that crap. I want no part of an organization that capitulates on someone's integrity. No matter how you disguise it, sir, that's what you've done. You've played Judas to their Sadducees and Pharisees." With that, he was gone.

656

Daniel felt Jack sit by him and forced his eyes open. Their conversation was stilted, unusual for them but the emotions of both men choked the words. His heart twisted at the raw pain in Jack's eyes.

Yet words had never meant much because their emotions were so in tune. And Jack had somehow found words for him. Words that would not come now. Jack was hiding something from him. The air was heavy with grief and guilt. Yes, he knew Jack blamed himself for what had happened.

He always did.

But this was something else, something other than Daniel's predicament.

Something directed towards another source. Daniel wished that he had the strength to ask what was wrong. All he could say was, "why do you care?" Because he wanted to hear again Jack's comforting words, wanted to feel the strength of their friendship reaffirmed.

Jack's words brought a smile to his face and a small chuckle-which hurt. Oma pulled him away, he tried to fight back. The worry in Jack's voice followed him into the embracing darkness, he wished he could tell Jack that he was all right.

656

Jonas went through the gate, the anger of his colleagues ghosting over him in waves. But he'd done right by Dr. Jackson. Finally. He just hoped that Colonel O'Neill wouldn't strangle him on sight.

Shivering, he remembered those eyes. The barely leashed power of the man revealed that he would given the slightest provocation. And all over one man.

"I am General Hammond, you are?"

Jonas turned towards the voice, introducing himself nervously. "Jonas Quinn of Kelowna. Uhm, I was the man who showed your team, SG-1, around our city."

"Yes. I am aware of that. What I do not understand is why you are here?" He did not lessen his suspicious posture, this man was not an ally. And it was his people who created the situation whose fall-out he was trying to predict. Plus, there was the box he carried under his arm.

"To see Colonel O'Neill, if I may?"

General Hammond waved off the armed guard and led the delegate out into the hall. As he did, his eyes studied the young man. About Daniel's height, his eyes and hair were a dark brown but they were intelligent-and fearful. Obviously, the colonel had made an impression on him. Not a good one either.

"What's in the box?" He continued to study him and saw why Daniel and he had gotten along.

"Something for Colonel O'Neill. It isn't dangerous, but I would rather give it to him in person." He paused, thinking about it. "Its naquadriah."

"I see," General Hammond replied, keeping his thoughts to himself. Jonas Quinn must believe he owed something to Jack. Thinking of the colonel, he frowned. The behavior exhibited by the man had not lessened. He would not leave Daniel's side and spoke to no one but Teal'c and Janet. He should really warn the man.

Though he was hard pressed to say which man he meant.

Meanwhile, Jonas was doing some looking around of his own. After studying the gray building and noting all the people wandering around, he looked at the man on his right.

General Hammond did not look anything like the military personnel on Kelowna. Or any of its enemies for that matter. His friendly, open countenance gave him hope that his request would not be ignored.

It was convincing Colonel O'Neill of his sincerity that was giving him nightmares. If one could have those while wide awake.

Seeing that isolated room, with its lonely occupant and the stalwart sentinel by his side-made him realize how hard that was going to be.

May be he should surrender that box to someone else, like Major Carter. She, at least, would be reasonable about his presence. Or may be Teal'c. Both looked like they could talk to the Colonel, may be even protect him if necessary.

Before he could suggest it, the man looked up. Anguished eyes met his briefly. They were shuttered so fast by a polite interest that Jonas wondered if he'd imagined it. He rose and made his way towards them.

The Kelownan swallowed as Jack approached. Through dry lips, he told of his choice. He spoke of what he had done and help out the precious box. The two stared at each other until the younger man's eyes dropped.

Only then did Jack move to accept the box. With it, he accepted Jonas' conditions. He was to be granted asylum. The general moved between them, taking the box from the colonel's hands. "I'll see to it that Major Carter and Sergeant Siler get this. Mr. Quinn, one of our doctors, a Doctor Warner, will give you a check-up to make sure you're all right."

"Of course, General Hammond. I know you won't believe me, Colonel, but I am sorry for what's happened," he paused and took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry for my part in it."

Jack just nodded, eyes hard before he returned to his _anam_ _cara_'s side.

656

"Where are you going?" he asked, hands in his pockets as they stood in the iridescent gate room. Though he projected an image of calm, the reality was far from it. He ignored his head's yelling at him for going against his beliefs.

Ignoring how hard he'd jammed his nails into his palms to prevent them from reaching out to his friend. They were sticky with his blood, yet the desire to stop Daniel from going stayed strong. But this was Heliopis all over again. The choice was not his own. It had to come from Daniel's soul.

If he intended to call himself Daniel's friend, he had to respect that.

"I don't know," he replied, a little giddily, and stepped through the event horizon. The light left the Infirmary, rising over them all and giving them a semblance of peace.

As it did, Jack awoke from his standing slumber and turned on his heels. No word passed his lips, he'd said all he needed to. It was an unspoken vow he made to himself-he would not return unless Daniel was there.

The SGC was Daniel. He made it possible. He made it what it was. They were nothing without his presence among them.

And Jack had no intention of serving without him.

656

"You're really leaving." It wasn't a question.

Jack finished his packing, ignoring the pain in his hands. "Yes, Jan, I am."

"Even though he won't be reported as KIA or MIA?" Janet tried, though she felt the change in his soul. The absolute loss of all that was Jack O'Neill. It worried her and frightened her. "The released story will be that Dr. Jackson's going on a sabbatical for an unknown length of time."

"The house is still in his name, take care of it for him. If he doesn't return in five years, sell it. Keep the money for yourself or give it away. I could care less."

"Why five years?"

"I know Daniel. And I remember what Orlin said about non-interference. Daniel will tow the line for a while, then he will do what his heart tells him to."

"If you do this, it'll confirm the rumors about you and him," she said.

He looked at her then, naked and raw pain bleeding out of every pore. A flash of what he was going through, briefly shown before it was locked tightly away. "I don't care. To do this job, I need Daniel. He's not here, neither am I." Giving her a tight hug, he attempted to walk out.

She grabbed his bleeding hands and scowled at him. "At least let me patch you up before you go."

Jack conceded, knowing that she needed a little more tactile time with him. Plus, he wouldn't win anyway. He never did when it came to his heath. One thing he'd learned early on was which battles to fight. You did not become a colonel because they pulled your name out of a hat. Sutures on, he rose and turned, not surprised to see the Jaffa standing in the doorway. "Good-bye, T. I may check in on you through the Asgard, so take care."

"I will, O'Neill. You will be missed but I understand."

His smile was tight and sad. "I'm glad someone around here does." Without warning, all the power shut off. The startled trio made their way out and towards the control room. As much as he wanted to walk away, he remembered that the only time this happened was when the Asgard paid them a call.

Freyr was standing on the ramp, "Thor is gone."

"What?" Jack heard the words from his position behind the glass clearly. It was like a fingernail running down the chalkboard in his soul. He rushed into the gate room after tossing his bag at Walter. Ignoring the looks he was getting from the general and Carter, he addressed the Asgard. "To the replicators?"

"No. The Goa'uld Anubis has acquired some new technology that is able to penetrate our shields. His ship, under the command of one Osiris, blew up Thor's vessel while he was over one of our planets. He was there to retrieve our scientist, Heimdahl."

"What are you asking?"

"We would like you to rescue Heimdahl in your Goa'uld shuttle craft. There are many shuttles in the area, they will not notice another."

"I'll do it," Jack stated. "I will not lose another friend. This was Thor's mission, I will honor his memory by completing it for him."

The General had never heard such an iron, heartless voice come from the colonel. Even at his most insubordinate, there had been respect. Now, it was nothing but the perfect soldier he'd heard about. He was almost afraid of the man. "Very well, SG-1 will accompany you."

"Thank you. We will be watching. If things go wrong, be assured of our aid." Freyr left.

Jack faced Carter, snapping. "Get one thing straight, Major. You may led SG-1 now, but I call my own shots. Just stay out of my way and we'll get along just fine."

Carter didn't know what to say, so she resorted to the familiar. "Yes, sir."

656

"What is he doing?" Heimdahl asked, puzzled by his actions that they were seeing. "We have rescued Thor. Why does he go to the Pel'Tak?"

Sam shrugged, "the colonel has never confided in me. That was always Daniel's privilege."

"And where is the elusive Dr. Jackson?"

"It isn't common knowledge but he has ascended."

"Ah, he will be missed by many."

656

With the Ancient modified Goa'uld 'grenade', Jack released it into the room. It rolled along until it hit a chair and released the gas into the room. The occupants slipped into a deep, painless sleep. Gas mask in place, he approached the slumbering Osiris. Bending down, he picked her up and left, ringing down into the ship bellow.

"Return to me that which you have stolen," Anubis demanded.

"You first," Jack shot back.

"You would defy me? Challenge me?" he was incredulous.

"Wasn't thinking about it, blanket boy. Actually, I was thinking retirement until you reared your 'I'm so ugly even I can't bear to look at myself' face and captured a good friend of mine. Or were you shooting for the look of dirty laundry? You know, I should've believed it when Danny said my laundry would become an evil new life form." Jack glared at the hooded man, itching for a fight. But there was still some sense of self-preservation making itself known in his head.

"How dare you?"

"I could ask the same of you," he quipped. "But I do it because scum like you have had the run of the galaxy for far to long. I do it because you slimy, stinkin' snakes hurt a good friend of mine. I've just lost him. I will not lose another-especially to the likes of you."

Anubis chuckled suddenly, startling his Jaffa. "I do not normally like spirited people but I could learn to tolerate you. If I took hosts, you would make an acceptable one for me. You are tolerable on the eyes and your voice has an interesting resonance to it."

Jack snorted, "don't care for the snake thing. Already did it, I wasn't that impressed."

"Who said that I possess a symbiote?" he queried.

Before he could form a reply, three Asgard vessels flanked them. One of the Asgard commanders addressed Anubis. "This ship resides under our protection. Leave now or face our wrath."

Anubis was given no choice but to flee. As sure as he was of his new toy, he was not going to test it out on more than one ship. Retreat would not reflect badly on him. Living to fight another day was all that mattered.

One of the Asgard beamed aboard their ship. "I am Brunhilde. We shall remove the symbiote from your friend as a sign of thanks and a renewal of our alliance."

"Daniel would like that," Jack smiled. For once, it was not forced.

"Shall we return her to Earth when we have finished?"

Carter shook her head. "It would be best to leave Dr. Gardner somewhere safer. If she were to return to Earth, she would not have the time to recover before questions would be asked of her. With all she's the memories she'll be dealing with, she doesn't need to deal with the NID. Or her friends probing inquiries into the nature of her disappearance, something she should not have to deal with immediately."

"Understandable," Brunhilde agreed. "Then we shall leave her among the Tok'Ra." The woman was beamed away, along with Thor's unconscious body.

"I'll let my dad know," she murmured.

The Asgard left them to their own devices and the small shuttle found its way home. Upon arriving, Jack retrieved his things. "Walter, take care of yourself and SG-1 for me."

"I will, Colonel," he hesitated. "Is there anything you want me to do for you?"

"No, but thank you for the offer, Walter." Nodding to him once, he disappeared from the control room and went upstairs to a familiar place and person. "Siler," he greeted, passing over the keys.

"Sir." The man accepted them slowly, reluctantly, knowing what this meant. Giving his plane to Siler to take care of finalized his good-bye, he knew what to do with the plane and it hurt that it had come to this.

Thanking him for all his help and support over the years, he left the SGC and went to the place he'd called home for six years.

Before he could leave, there were things he needed.

"You are O'Neill?" a voice asked when he entered the house.

Whirling about, he saw an Asgard standing there. "And you are?" It was odd the way he found comfort in these little gray guys. Of course, it was also slightly disturbing that he wasn't more annoyed at the way they made free with his life.

"I am Frigga, once the consort of Odin. He entrusted this to me before his grievous injury that robbed us of him. I was told to wait until you were ready for it. If you ever need anything, call upon me."

A crystal of unusual clarity and beauty, with an intense heart light was pressed into his hand. He accepted it with a bittersweet smile. The Asgard inclined her head and left him alone. Jack found a hole at the tip of the gift and secured it to his dog tag chain. It would never do to lose it.

Leaving the house and his life behind, he drove out of the state into the unknown. He knew the place to go before reality came crashing down on his head. Stopping only once, he made a phone call. "Adam, it's me."

"Hey, Jack…what's wrong?" Adam had picked up on the note of unusual sobriety in his voice.

"I just lost my best friend. Thought you should know that I won't be anywhere near a phone or computer or any other kind of communication device."

There was a sigh, "I understand. You will call me sometime though. The life you live worries me sometimes."

A sad smile graced his face, "yeah, like yours doesn't?"

He laughed, "I'm not the one with the dangerous lifestyle. So? Will you?"

"I can do that." With a bittersweet good-bye, they hung up and he left.

End, Act 9.

Author's Note: new program doesn't like the dividers. 6 is change of episode. 656 is change of scene.


	10. Chapter Ten

Author's Note: I have placed in a Tok'Ra who may turn out to be a show Goa'uld. Well, that's their sandbox and this is mine. I hope no one minds. To those following this story, yes, this part does look familiar. There's a reason. I went back and made a few alterations, shortened and lengthened chapters because of something that happened in later parts. I had to add a sense of cohesiveness to the story. Here's to hoping it worked.

Ireland

Jack knelt on the dirt floor of the cairn. Bluish flames danced along the circular walls, shadows contrasting sharply in the areas of lesser light. After four weeks, he had calmed down enough to enjoy the comfort of the old. Wood smoke and pine mingled in the air and he revealed in it.

Echoes of the past-his past-embraced him with the comfort and familiarity of an old lover and he drank it in. Letting it fill him, ease his aches.

Four weeks without Daniel. Unlike his other losses, this was the worst. An ascended being was removed from the cycle of reincarnation. For the first time in over five thousand years, he faced the prospect of life without his _anam_ _cara_.

Five thousand years of pain and death surrounding him. Caused by him. Breathed in by him. To keep his life, he had to fight the challengers that came after him.

Five thousand years where honor and caring were disposed of as extra weight. Sure, he made friends and kept them in his heart. But, other than Daniel, he never let anyone get close to him.

Five thousand years when hiding became second nature even as fighting had remained the first. Survival had become his only goal. Challenges had been avoided after his first brush with the dark quickening that still haunted his mind. Being filled with the power of evil-and giving into those impulses-was something he feared.

A thousand years ago, he'd given up sex. Meaningless and casual, requiring nothing from him, yet raped his soul even more because it meant nothing in the end. To preserve some of his dignity and self-respect, he'd given it up.

After four thousand years, it had ceased to be interesting anyway.

The one constant he'd had in life was that his _anam_ _cara_ would always find and help him when he had strayed to far from the path. That hope kept him from seeking the end through what many considered an acceptable suicide-dying in a fight. Many who had no such hope had done so. That was one reason why there were only five truly old ones walking the Earth.

Now that was gone. All he had to look forward to was an endless, empty eternity.

Odin's crystal hummed, burning against his skin. Removing it, he turned it over several times, before putting it aside. Tomorrow, he promised as he blew out the flames.

In the chilly pre-dawn of the morning, he rose and bathed in the cool stream, scrubbing the outer world off of himself. Before entering, he let go of the 'Jack' form and returned to the one he'd held when these were still in use as meeting places and holy spots. These were homes for the peoples of the Isle, before the others had come.

Long hair flowed down his back, ending in the middle. A blue fhain knot colored his cheek; similar to the one he'd gotten as a holy woman of the Woad people. That had been a lifetime ago, a fond memory though.

Tracing the delicate lettering, he allowed a forgotten language to take hold of him. With a gentle smile curving the hard lips, he translated.

_For Emrys, the one who has much wisdom yet still much to learn. Odin_.

"I see you still know the language of the Furlings," Odin's image appeared before him. "And you probably have questions about that."

"I do. My contact with the Stargate has brought up things I don't know. Yet remember them so clearly, I doubt my own recollections of my life."

"We spoke of four races once. Do you recall?"

"The Asgard. The Nox. The Ancients. The Furlings," he replied, sitting Indian style. As was his custom, the blue flames burned in the center of the room. The smell of the wood relaxed and opened his mind but he knew he must take care. Once one learned to read the fire, there was no going back.

Odin's head bowed, "correct, young one. You belong to the forth race, the Furlings, as do your four compatriots. Although, you have strangely undiluted Ancient in your blood as well. Do you know why your grandparents eloped?"

"Never asked," he shrugged.

Odin nodded; this was why he had been chosen as the warrior. His nature had given him an easy acceptance of whatever was required of him. Though it also meant that he was given to seeing only the present, never the long term affects of his actions.

He began after Jack settled down to listen. "It was forbidden for the races to intermingle and mate until child bearing age had long passed. All the races had their own individual powers and abilities that denote which race they are. Children of such unions are difficult to predict which of these will be in prominence and how it will affect their natures. The characteristics of the child are called into question. Some will turn out decent, like the Tuatha de Denann. Others, like the formidable Heingist, are of evil origin and must be eliminated. Not an easy thing to do or we would have rid the world of that monster. No matter, his time is coming. It is most unfortunate that he was able to bind you four to him before his true nature was revealed."

It was a subtle hint at the Dark Quickening that Heingist had forced upon the other four and he shivered, not liking the memories it brought up. This bond had bound them to him, compelled to do his will when he summoned up the power to call upon their darker selves.

"Well, we aren't known as the Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse for nothing."

"That name means something other than what is implied," he spoke sharply.

"So, why'd they elope?" he asked, breaking into what promised to be a lecture only P would enjoy.

Giving him a look that said he was fully aware of what Jack was doing, Odin allowed the change in subject gracefully. "They wanted to have a family. Alas, they had but one child, a son. While not innately evil, he was not precisely good. Amoral you would say. Many said he was a half-demon, which is certainly not true."

"What became of him?"

"He met and married your mother, of Furling blood herself. They had a genderless child, called the child Emrys. I am sure you have wondered why it is so easy for you to change between genders when others have difficulty in doing so."

"What of my friends? Wouldn't they be my siblings?" Now, that was a tricky question. Not to mention, opened up a can of worms. At one time or another-until P and F paired off-they had all been involved romantically.

Odin smiled indulgently at him; it looked odd on the Asgard. "They are kin but not as close as that. I believe you humans would call them cousins, which does a little to alleviate your mind. Your father helped out as much as he could, feeling it was his duty, until the day he died rescuing the Ancients from Ra's vengeance when they sealed the first gate. The second gate remained active until Amaroca helped start a rebellion which resulted in the Goa'uld expulsion."

"And my mother?" Having been raised by anyone who thought it would be fun to take care of the youth, he was hungry for this knowledge. Of course, there were older memories there. Memories of a warm embrace-a recognizable face-that spoke so plainly of home.

"Lies somewhere here in these eternally green lands. Oddly enough, she died of grief. The world found by your Ernst Littlefoot is indeed called Tara, the throne of the immortal Tuatha de Denann. Your grandparents and their friends raised you there in safety. It is here when the plan was hatched to use your talents for the greater good.

"Earth was long meant to become the fifth race but it needed assistance. Humans are so easily led by their passions and by the latest craze, they are also mortal. That is not to say that they are all beguiled, there are many who raise the standard, so protectors were arranged for them. Guides for some of the other gifted ones." He sighed, "but as with all things, were great good exists, so does great evil. The Ashrak were to the Tok'Ra what the creators of the game are to you."

"So, the game was never meant to be?"

"As a form of learning to fight, yes. But not as a way to kill off an entire race of beings hoping to claim the title of the one."

"I always wondered about how we could claim to be good when we were perpetrators of genocide."

"That is why you and your compatriots have refused to fight."

"Well, that's one of the reasons," he shrugged. "My own reason was that it wasn't truly necessary and often reminded me of a post I've tried to repent for. So, all of those who play the so called game are assassins?"

"No, many are just misguided immortals found by the opposition. Thus, they learn the rules of the game and pass them down to their students."

"Given them a race of killers to help them find us," he surmised.

Odin looked into his eyes, studying him. "And you may tell no one what you now know. There is no chance for them to become reconciled to the truth as long as they live out in the world. They must come to the Stargate, which will evoke the memories, allowing for a slow acceptance of things. It is also important because it is considered holy ground."

"How so?" A lifetime of unquestioning service allowed him to accept this seemingly heartless decree.

"Many races worship it. You must remember that many truly believe it to be the ship-or throne-of the gods. Wherever the Stargate is, there is holy ground."

"But some do not care for that rule," he pointed out.

"The Chap'pai is a wise and caring protector." Odin informed him gravely.

"It's alive?" he asked incredulously.

"The Stargate is a sentient being, if that is what you mean. It knows more than you think, that is why you and your Doctor Fraiser have been protected. It will not allow any violations to the rules-even if the rules are not those made up by its creators. Which is why the Watcher's Council has lost track of you. Signing the confidentiality clause protects you from the records they make of your race."

"I had wondered why Adam seemed perplexed when he called me to ask after that," he murmured, the oldest knew of the Council's existence. In truth, they had been there for its creation.

"You must be careful, Emrys, you know the truth. Yours is a head that they would dearly love."

"Hey, as long as they get my conscience, they can have it."

"Do not joke of such things," Odin chided. "This is a grave matter we are discussing."

"I will be careful, Odin."

"I hope that you do, much is at stake here. More than you realize. There is much more to learn and discuss but now is the time for rest. Sleep, child of Danu, I shall be here when you awaken."

"One question, if I may? You said that the first gate was sealed, but the one in Antarctica was in use long after Ra was expelled. At least, that's what the research shows. How is that possible?" Out of all he learned, that one was the most troubling point for him. What if the Rogue NID found it?

"A wise question, shows that you were paying attention."

"Well, I have been known to do that. Occasionally."

"There is a third gate here on Earth. It is somewhere in the Americas. Three gates were necessary on this planet of yours." Odin thought, "you may inform General Hammond of it if you wish. But only an Ancient can unlock it for you."

Emrys nodded and closed his weary eyes, falling fast asleep. For him, it was an unusually quiet night.

"Is it wise to speak of such things so soon after the loss of his soul friend?" Frigga spoke from the doorway. She replaced the food neither had noticed go bad during their week long talk.

"Knowing of this, he shall find a new purpose. Life needs its warrior again," Odin turned and held out his hand to her. "And do you see Daniel Jackson leaving so easily?"

Their dark eyes held lovingly, defying conventional wisdom which taught that they did not love. "I do not. Emrys' path is hard."

"As is Doctor Jackson's," Odin observed. "Neither youth realizes what a gift their friendship is-especially O'Neill. He does not realize how rare it is to find a soul willing to come back time and again for them."

In the corner of the cairn, ignoring much of the Asgards discussion, was Daniel. Blue eyes studied the lost man on the ground, pain still reigned supreme on his face, though it was lax with sleep. He was curious to see this different form, Jack had never shown him any other face. Though, he'd asked, he had even begged. Now, he knew why. The shock was barely manageable. How could this be the man he'd known for five years?

"Emrys," he mused, "immortal. Or divine."

"You know your Celtic," Odin commented, without facing him. "Have you enjoyed yourself?"

"I learned more than I was expecting to from Jack," he mused. "Is his blood the reason he could handle the download? Why he was able to process and use it? Why he kept going, even though his physiology was incompatible with the Ancients? Or rather, should have been?"

Odin faced him then, "you will get that answer when he does."

"Then I'll never find out," he groaned.

"Is it so important to you, Dr. Jackson?" Frigga asked, standing beside Odin.

"Yes. No. I don't know. But is the SGC finds another suppository, it could mean trouble for any curious mind. If Jack hadn't looked first, I would have."

"The effect would not have been the same. It would not have recognized you," Odin comforted.

"Danny, shush up and get some sleep. One thing I've learned, you can't win a fight against the Asgard-even if you insult their mother," Emrys mumbled sleepily.

So used to following that kind of order, he was almost asleep before he realized that he didn't need to rest anymore. Oh, well, he thought sleepily, curling into the warmth Jack's presence gave off.

Emrys woke first and stretched, startled to see..."Daniel? What are you doing here?"

"Exploring something that has been blocked to me for some time," he yawned and stretched, looking about. "Where is Odin?"

"Probably wants me to eat first," he replied, rising to his feet. "Does Omy Dressup know you're here?"

"Oma Dessala, Jack," he corrected automatically, yet absently. "Eating...why haven't you been eating?"

"What have you been doing, Daniel? Watching me? I don't need a keeper," he snarled.

"Considering your behavior, I would have to respectfully disagree."

"Besides," he went on, loftily ignoring his interruption, "it wasn't my physical self that needed the care." His rumbling stomach made a lie of his words. Quickly working, under Daniel's knowing smirk, he had a meal ready.

"I thought you couldn't cook."

His head shook, "I can cook. I just don't like to, there's a difference. And you know I often cook the meals when we have company."

"All those non-barbeque dinners were made from scratch?" He asked, incredulously.

"What did you think? I bought the food and hid the evidence where no one would find it?"

"It's a fair assumption," he defended himself. "I still haven't figured out how you managed to get that six foot Goofy doll into Lord Yu's private chambers during that peace conference we attended."

"I have it on good authority that he liked it. Plan to get him a Mickey and Minnie set next time." There was a definite chuckle in the voice.

"How? When you're no longer with the SGC," he asked, curious.

Emrys studied the well known face for a moment, "I plan to ask Odin about that. Did you see Sarah?"

"She's fine. I don't think she wants to leave Tollana though," he replied.

"Not surprising but she's strong. I believe she'll pull through," he comforted.

"How did you do it?"

"The altered Goa'uld grenade?" Daniel nodded. "Let's just say, I remember more than I've let anyone know."

"And you said nothing?"

"You would've put me to work on your translations. Or Carter would have me coming up with other formulas," he talked even as Daniel's eyes hardened.

"Why did you leave, Jack?" He made a point by refusing to use his real name.

"For me, the SGC is you. Without you there, I had no reason to stay. And don't bring up the team," he added, seeing the light in Daniel's eyes. "Out of them all, only you have ever pulled me from a mindless rage. Only you have the power to make me listen. Teal'c can't do it. Carter certainly can't. Only you have that position of equality."

"I heard what you said to Sam. To George. Jack, you were unnecessarily cruel to them for the way they coped with what was happening." Daniel moved closer to the tense, closed off man. "I know you were hurting, but so were they. You're usually so in tune with people, how could you miss that?"

"They cared more for that crap that's responsible for your death than what the Kelownans were doing to you."

"What choice did they have, Jack? The naquadriah may be the answer to all of our problems. Sam's smart, she'll figure it out. And Martouf is a good man, together they have figured out many insurmountable problems. This is just one more."

"Sure. And she'll get the credit while your name gets ruined, tarnished. I know you don't care. You don't understand why it means so much to me. Daniel, I have live a long life. I've had many faces, many names. Each one is a legacy I leave behind me. Each speaks of who I have been, what I have done. Those who know you, know of your courage, compassion, strength, and the integrity which has won us allies and wooed many people into trusting us.

"But those who only know your name, see only what is written of you. Your last official act should not be that of a saboteur. You saved that planet, you've saved our planet countless times. The people you helped are innumerable. Yet all that will be known of you is that you destroyed a weapon, not because it was going to blow up part of the planet. But because you decided that it was wrong to have it.

"I'm sorry if it offends you that I seem to care more for your name than that I've hurt some feelings in my defense of your name. But, Daniel, all that people will know of you is that name. The legacy you've left behind isn't the scholarly warrior but a wanton vandal who acted out because he could."

Daniel stared at him, silence his only reply. "Jonas' presence will do a lot to speak for the truth about what happened," he finally spoke.

"As will your lack of presence," he countered.

"You know, this is the best choice for me," he stated.

"And you know why I will not go back."

They stared at each other before a sigh came from between them. "Now that you've cleared the air, shall I continue?"

"I have nothing further to ask."

"See?" Daniel exclaimed.

"But may be Daniel does, he's the curious one."

"Very well, you posed a question last night about the suppository of knowledge," Odin began.

"Oh, the food processor? Danny, you didn't," he whined.

"Quiet, Jack."

Odin raised his non-existent eyebrow, waiting for them to cease. "His blood is one reason behind his ability to handle the knowledge, it recognized its familiar presence. But not the only reason. Only a fraction of the Ancients wisdom was placed in the suppository. There are many such places scattered all over the galaxy."

"Why?"

"To protect it. Even though we have taken every chance to safe guard our wisdom, the enemy finds ways around it. The Goa'uld are scavengers as you well know. Replicators have ways of ingesting it through consumption. And, as Dr. Jackson found out, sometimes too much knowledge is a dangerous thing. If you are not ready for it, it will corrupt you."

Daniel winced, remembering Shi'fu's dream. It still haunted him, the way he had embraced the knowledge while forsaking the heart. Yet, Jack had stayed with him, believed in him-until Daniel had crossed a bridge that not even his friend could reconcile himself with. Blowing up Russia had revealed to Jack that Daniel had truly crossed over to the other side.

"Hey, its over. We all learned and know better because of you," he whispered, offering comfort the only way he could now. Words were all he had now, even if he preferred tactile reassurance. Deep down, he knew Daniel preferred it to. Even Carter and Teal'c seemed to seek it from him at times, though Marty seemed to find it a sign of weakness.

The linguist would've preferred a bear hug. 'Jack hug therapy' indeed. To bad MacKenzie won't authorize it as actual help, he mused. It certainly worked form me and Martouf, though I suppose he couldn't handle the competition since most people would prefer Jack's aid.

"Emrys is right. Build on that wisdom in preparation for more," Odin counseled. "For it will not stop just because you've ascended. As Oma likes to say, the journey has merely begun after you've taken that step. Hello, Oma."

"Odin. We thought you had passed beyond all your people's abilities to provide you continued life."

"That is why I dwell near the Other World, it keeps me well," he calmly replied.

"I am delighted to hear it. Daniel, you have tarried here long enough," there was a scold in the under tone of her voice.

Emrys raised an eyebrow as Daniel docilely rose to his feet, an abashed look on his face. What happened to his spine? He was never easy to order around. Still, this wasn't Daniel anymore even if it looked like him. "See you around," he couldn't resist half-asking hopefully.

The two ascended beings departed. Odin turned to him, "what's this idea you have?"

"I can't go back and work at the SGC, not without Daniel there. But I can't rest on my laurels knowing of the Goa'uld and Replicator threat." He paused, studying the words in his head. "What I was thinking was becoming a sort of rogue agent for the Asgard. You guys have become the only ones I trust now that he's gone."

"How would this work?" Frigga asked, knowing that Odin wouldn't say a thing. He no longer had a real place with them anymore. Moreover, they were both curious.

"Sabotage. Checking up on their activities. Search and rescue. Retrieval, if necessary. No offense, but you guys don't exactly blend into the general populace. I figure, I do that kind of thing and you can keep your mind focused on the Replicators. Plus, if I find any more repositories, I can lay claim to the knowledge and you guys can keep it safe." He paused, "then there's the problem Heimdahl mentioned about your cloning."

"It is most unlike him to be so loose lipped, as you Tua'ri would say," Odin was shocked.

He shrugged, trying to keep the coldness out of his response. "Major Carter is nothing is not persuasive when something interests her. She's also pushy."

"It is an interesting proposition and would free us up. I shall talk to the counsel tonight," Frigga decided, liking the idea the more she thought it through.

"Thank you," Emrys settled down, looking at Odin. "Is there anything else you'd like to share?"

"Only if there is more that you wish to know."

He imitated Teal'c's raised eyebrow, "that's Daniel's field. I'm a simple man. I only need to know enough to complete my mission."

"You and the good doctor have more in common than I originally believed. Neither of you seems to have any confidence in your abilities outside of work," his voice was quiet. "Frigga will be in touch."

Asgard Ship

When Emrys had emerged from the cairn, he returned to the image of Jack. Until he had decided upon his new look, this one would suffice. It was comfortable and he knew it, there was no confusion about it. They had accepted his proposal. It was the general consensus of the Asgard that it would be a bad thing for the SGC to know that Jack was jotting about space, playing the rogue.

He answered only to Frigga, which was a liberating experience. Jack relished it. The work he did now was more akin to how he worked when he was with MacGyver. He did not miss the guilt, the weight, that leadership caused.

But he did miss the company, participating in the lives of others. Through channels, he heard of the birth of Drey'ac's twins. Carter's promotion to leader of SG-1 and the inclusion of Marty on the team, as well as his moving in with her. That was something he'd hoped for but gave up thinking it would happen. It surprised him how interested he was in Jonas' welfare, that a strange feeling of satisfaction came when he'd heard the young man had faced down the first Goa'uld he'd ever met.

Yeah, he even missed the standard medical tests.

But other things troubled him, like this thing he'd heard about Kinsey's running for Vice-President. The idea of that two-faced hypocrite running the Stargate through whatever puppet he'd get to run as president filled him with horror. From past experience, he knew what Kinsey would do. He'd ignore the threat Anubis presented and shut them down. Or worse, try to make a deal with him.

Or do something even worse than that. Knowing his past work, Jack feared that what he'd do is force out the good people at the SGC and replace them with his cronies. Use the program to steal technologies and rape alien worlds all under the guise of saving America. The man was a virus of the worst kind. Like Apophis, he should've shot him when he'd had the chance.

Neither was a pretty prospect.

"O'Neill," a voice broke into his thoughts.

He focused on the Asgard and smiled widely, "Thor! Buddy, I thought you were stuck in snooze land."

"I am no longer thanks to your Major Kawalsky."

He sat up, tilting his head in question. "How so?"

Thor almost seemed to smile as he sat down. "As you may recall, my brain was downloaded directly to into the ship's computer. Part of what you would refer to as my soul was still connected and found a way take over and forced Anubis to abandon it."

"Way to go!" he cheered.

"Thank you" he bowed in acknowledgement. "From there, I merely guided the ship to Earth. SG-2, as well as Selmak and Teal'c, boarded. Teal'c recognized my voice once they cleared the distortion Anubis had caused trying to shut me up. After some debate, they decided to remove the part that was my brain and return me. That was were Major Carter came in. She was able to exact me from the system. It was her belief that it was better for me to be back than to have a ship of questionable abilities on Earth."

"Did she?"

"I believe she thought it was something you would've done. Once again, I owe my life to you."

His head shook, "you owe it to the people who taught us to believe that we should never leave anyone behind. It isn't easy, but it's always worth it."

"You are departing for Ama-Terasu's palace."

Jack nodded, "why?"

"You should be careful. There has been some unrest since you last visited. She has fallen out of favor with Lord Yu. And the Ashrak are hunting for you, hungry for your head."

"I shall be wary," he promised. There was no surprise, he had been a rogue for over six months. The attacks had increased, each a little closer to home than he liked. Nor did Daniel, who seemed to spend an awful lot of time visiting him. No, as uncomfortable as it may make his friend, it would be time for a change.

He could ill afford capture.

Ama-Terasu's

Jack entered the sick room, all had been evacuated save one. He was lying on a pallet, barely hanging onto his life. Even with a sarcophagus, he would not make it. The colonel winced but he knew what must be done.

Ama-Terasu's words returned to his mind:

6

_"I know that we must leave, O'Neill. But Kiyoshi cannot be moved. Even though he is a host, he is as good as dead. We must save the symbiote inside of him. He knows much that will help our fight. I know how you feel but would you please show some mercy and try?"_

_Jack shuddered, "I don't want to put you down but isn't that heartless?"_

_"Our ways are not your own. If you value anything, please do this for us. We cannot let our friend fall into enemy hands."_

_"Still, you are asking me to deliberately kill him."_

_"He is already dead. And he is my son. The only child I have left from the one time I birthed a nation of children. Susanowo found and slaughtered them, then he neutered me. Would you rob me of this one child?"_

_Jack was torn. He liked Ama-Terasu, she was smart and direct. She told him what he wanted and when he wanted it. There was an innate honesty about her. Still, this was Kiyoshi they spoke of. His old friend from bygone days. Was there no other way_?

6

Resting a warm palm of Kiyoshi's shoulder, he shook the slumbering man. Startling black eyes met his own, weary acceptance and remembrance in them. The Tok'Ra knew that his escape from pain had come and he embraced it willingly. "You have come to deliver me into peace?" His voice was raspy with pain but still musical as ever.

"I have," he croaked.

"Do not fear for me, Taheiji, I understand. I welcome this," he soothed. "I can think of no better fate than to die by a loved one's hand rather than an enemy's sword. You shall be merciful, they shall not be so."

"Oh, Kiyoshi, I will do this. For you," his voice was still with grief.

"My symbiote knows of your feelings for us, he will remain sleeping. He hasn't the strength to do more than move to you," he comforted. "Do not fight it. The pain will be but a moment, then he shall remove it from you."

"I know," again, the voice was no more than a whispered croak. Everything he believed cried out that this was a violation of his own being. But he could no more deny a mother her child (no matter the form) than he could Daniel his wishes. Well, his reasonable ones. Some of his wishes were just not possible.

Leaning forward, he rested his lips against the harsh dryness of Kiyoshi's own. Feeling the symbiote enter, he remained as calm as possible. Everything recoiled, trying to rise up and spit it out but the ex-colonel used his iron control and resisted.

Kiyoshi's face slackened, a peaceful smile forming on it. "I offer you my deepest thanks for this blessing, Taheiji," he whispered. His final breath was a rattle, painful to hear but beautiful in its joyful release.

Jack let the symbiote speak for them both, "farewell, my friend." Raising the hand unsteadily, he wiped a tear away before firing three times. "I shall forever miss your counsel and wisdom," Taheiji added, before turning away.

It wasn't the burial either would've preferred. But the onslaught of Jaffa brought them to a remembrance of where they were. Fleeing, they made for Ama-Terasu's ships and departed to an empty world. From there, they destroyed the ship and fled for three days before seeking out the headquarters of the Tok'Ra.

Once sheltered, the symbiote spoke, "I am grateful to you for your service."

"I'm sure you are. Who are you?" He couldn't quite keep the bitterness from his voice.

"Canaan."

End, Act 10.

Author's Notes about the terms found in the story.

1.) Amam Cara: I found this term in the book, "Sacred Spaces: Stations Of A Celtic Way" by Margaret Silf. It does mean soul friend.

2.) Emrys: In Celtic, it is indeed Immortal or Divine. Emrys is Embries to those in the South of Britian and Logres. In Latin, it is Ambrosius. These references are found in "The Pendragon Cycle" by Stephen R. Lawhead. Fhain-it is like a tattoo. Only not.

3.) Those two names are real Japanese names, I looked them up.

Do you think Jack is out of character? Is anyone even reading this?


	11. Chapter Eleven

Author's Note: I redid a lot of the earlier chapters, so you may want to go back and reread them.

These next few chapters bounce around between Jack's work, Daniel in the 'glow-zone', and the SGC. But this one is mostly about the SGC dealing without either men being around. And it has some Jonas Quinn. Not a lot, but he does get talked about and shows up. Given what happens to Daniel, there will most likely be a quick recap of what's happened in these chapters. Hope that won't bore people. Decided that I needed to deal with what happened at the SGC. So, the chapter that was here previously has been moved to another spot, further back.

The nitpicker: Made the suggested correction. Now had the label Alternate Universe.

6

Earth-after Jack's leave taking.

Major Samantha Carter sat in her office, miles of paperwork before her. Her head sunk down onto the little space of polished black that showed and groaned. As the newly appointed leader of SG-1, she had much to catch up on. Because of this prominent position, she was also expected to serve as the second in command under General Hammond. That was a third of the problem.

Another third went to her science department. With the exception of Haley, the new recruits were not adept at adapting their Earth based knowledge to other planets. It seemed impossible for them to grasp that, while the location of the work may be light years away, the principles remained the same.

Or may be she was being overly critical.

And then there was the final piece of the pie-Daniel's departments. Departments. Plural-as in more than one.

The archaeology, linguistic, and anthropology departments all fell under her rule now that he was gone and Dr. Rothman refused it outright. Though more than capable, he didn't want that burden on his shoulders.

Besides, that was the same pattern established by Colonel O'Neill when Daniel had been called away on missions without SG-1. But the colonel and Daniel had a well-choreographed pattern prepared so that he knew what was needed and most necessary. She didn't have that luxury.

On her desk lay some of the top specialists in each of the fields-each of them young enough to accept the reality of alien life, with the energy to keep up with the demands placed before them.

And each approved of by Daniel himself, some of them he'd recommended as covers for him while he was away for any length of time. Nyan, while he had an excellent grasp on things, needed citizenship before the government considered him as a potential to receive the job.

Sighing, her head rocked back and forth on the desk. Daniel. A fresh sob tore from her heart. Even now, it was hard to accept that her mental equal, the other half of the "wonder twins" legend was gone.

And the Colonel as well.

She missed her siblings with an ache that always seemed hollow, never filling with anything more than more sorrow. Teal'c and she spent more time together now, being the only two original members of SG-1 left. Though both found this to be more pain than pleasure for the memories it evoked.

A few people had tried to replace Daniel on the team. Others with his linguistic capabilities and anthropological viewpoints.

But everyone knew the truth-he was irreplaceable.

No one even came close to his way of thinking outside the military box and applying that thinking in ways that those in charge had no choice but to accept it as the best way.

For now, Martouf helped them out, though he could only do so much. Many races recognized him as one of the Tok'Ra and were wary of him. It made them distrust him and her because of their symbiotes. What they needed was someone like Daniel.

No, not like Daniel.

That would be too painful, to horrifying to handle. He was living lightening in a bottle-and there was no way to duplicate that. But they needed someone who could inspire trust the way Daniel did. Someone with a non-military perspective. One who had the courage to speak up and call them on their behavior.

Until then, SG-1 was on stand-down.

Teal'c spent his time between the SGC and her, being with Drey'ac, and helping the Jaffa rebellion. At the moment, General Hammond was trying to find an innocuous place around the mountain for them to move into so that he didn't have to keep traveling away to see his wife, son, and soon to be born babies.

Though excited for them, she wondered how Drey'ac was going to handle having two little ones without having Teal'c to help her adjust to Earth life. Teal'c had had a hard time and he had them to help. But Drey'ac really didn't know them, so she would really be left to her own devices.

Everyone hesitated to mention the house shared by Daniel and the Colonel, though Janet looked anxious to try. Teal'c wouldn't think of moving in to the house permanently. But they might persuade him to be the caretaker of it.

And that was another bone of contention.

The Colonel had given Janet power of attorney, merely requesting that she hang onto the place for five years for Daniel. She stubbornly refused to break her unspoken promise to him. Both seemed to agree that, although Daniel had the fortitude and talent to join the higher beings, he would not remain ascended.

If not for Orlin's words, she would have been angered by their lack of faith in him. But she knew him as they did. He would watch until his heart told him to act.

As it was, she could only hope that he'd stay long enough to learn something of significance to their fight.

Though, again through Orlin, she knew that such knowledge would be taken from him if he was returned to the mortal plain.

"Major Carter," Jonas spoke hesitantly from the door. Blue eyes looked wearily at him, the face frozen into an expression of polite interest. "General Hammond wishes to see you," he hurriedly explained.

"Did he say why?"

"Something about the Russians," he shrugged. Though it hurt, he knew that he was far from being accepted into the family that was the SGC. He was willing to put up with it for he felt it was worth it. "I don't think he wanted to tell me even that much but he wants you to be prepared."

She nodded, "thank you." Rising to her feet tiredly, she shuffled the papers to the side. It took her a moment to realize that he waited patiently at the door. "Was there something more?" she asked.

"Would you like some help with this?" he timidly asked her. The state of disarray around her had to be troublesome and if he could relieve that, even a little bit, may be she would be more open to helping him. "I'm no Dr. Jackson, nor would I claim to understand half of what you do but perhaps I could…never mind. It's a dumb idea."

"Could what?" she sharply asked, refraining only barely from snapping at him. Sam didn't know why she was encouraging the Kelownan but something was urging her behavior. Not being an oblivious fool of what went on, she knew how most of the base had been treating him in the two months since he'd come to stay with them. But she _felt_ something while standing there, looking at him.

Almost like Daniel was with her, trying to tell her something. There was a little laugh in her mind, a familiar laugh. _Listen to him, Sam. He could become a great human being if given the chance_.

"Try to organize this," he finished in a rush. "May be do some of the paperwork. Or do some pre-work and call around to set up appointments for interviews with new department heads for the leaderless departments."

"How do you know of that?" she gazed at him, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

With a self-conscious grin, he explained. "Nyan and I were talking about it. He's been great about explaining things to me, like JELL-O and telly-vision."

"Television," she tiredly corrected.

_Give him a chance, Sam_.

There it was again, that persistent voice that sounded like Daniel getting them to see another way. "Do you think you could make the calls without revealing classified information?"

Again, he nodded at her enthusiastically. Idly, she wondered if his head would fall off if he really got going.

"Can't reveal what I don't know, can I? Besides, I worked in secret for years, recruiting and stuff. My first job was as a personal assistant for…"

"Okay," she interrupted, checking her watch. "I will give you a shot. Remember, nothing is to be said of the Stargate or the true nature of the working environment."

He nodded again, widely smiling. "You won't regret this, Major Carter. If I have any doubts about my ability to keep silent, I'll just get their names and current addresses written in a neat list."

"Fine." _He's like one of those hyper dogs_, she thought crossly, walking by him. "I'll be back after my meeting with the General. Try to organize the paperwork first, that's more important at the moment. Orlin, Nyan, and Dr. Lee can handle the daily business of running the divisions right now. After that's done, you can get working on that list of possible department heads."

"Thank you for giving me this chance, Major Carter. I won't let you down," he smiled at her again, grateful and then attacked the work before him enthusiastically. It was a pleasure to be doing something again.

Doubtfully watching him, she finally shrugged and left. There was something so pathetic about his gratefulness, it made her uncomfortable. And the general would only wait so long before her lateness would be considered outright insubordination. Nodding at one of the sergeants, she made her way down the hall.

"Do you think its wise to let that _thing_ be alone with highly confidential work, Major? From all I've heard about _him_, he does have a photographic memory that might come back to haunt you," Lieutenant Colonel Ferretti said.

She turned and smiled at the new colonel. "With all due respect, sir, Jonas Quinn has been granted asylum with us. He deserves the same chance the Colonel gave to Nyan and Orlin."

"He's responsible for the loss of two great men, Major," he flatly declared.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Why is it whenever I hear those words, I know I'm not going to like what comes next?" He rhetorically asked with a sigh, knowing now how O'Neill must've felt to be caught between both Daniel and Major Carter. Both had no qualms about giving the Colonel hell in their own way. But unlike Jack, who rather encouraged them, he didn't know if he wanted what he knew was coming. That was the one thing you had to be careful of, if they gave you their honest opinion, you had to act on it. "Permission granted."

"He wants to make up for what occurred on Kelowna," she mildly pointed out. "Besides, he cannot be held accountable for his whole government's inability to take precautions. If we do not give him a chance to redeem himself, then we are as guilty of condemning him as they were of blaming Daniel with no proof."

"No. But he will not be accepted easily, even under your protection," he retorted.

"May be not, Lou. Honestly, I doubt that I will ever fully accept him. But I can't ignore him just because he represents pain," she said, then changed the subject. "Do you know why the general wants to see me?"

He shook his head, "he's been asking to see all the team leaders."

With a nod of understanding, she took a deep breath and left him in the hall. Exuding an air of false poise, she approached the door and knocked as firmly as she felt capable of. At his 'enter', she opened and saluted to him. Studying his face, she saw nothing to ease the butterflies in her stomach. Whatever this was about, it was not going to be good.

"Close the door," General Hammond ordered, returning the salute briskly. Sitting down, he gestured for her to do the same before speaking again. "You know of the uneasy alliance we have with the Russians. After many discussions with the President, we have made some tentative decisions to rectify that problem. One is that we provide them with a team of their own. In their eyes, this is a small concession-to small. The other is more to their taste, that we will integrate them into already established teams."

"A Russian on SG-1? Sir, with all due respect, that is an insane idea." She burst out, blushing slightly at her own temerity.

His hand rose, "I understand your concerns, Major. I share them but I believe that we have no other option if we want to continue to enjoy the security we now possess. If we refuse, they may leak information about the Stargate out into the world and we would be put into a precarious position of admitting what is really out there. The world is not yet ready for the revelation of other races-especially one that has our ultimate annihilation as its main goal."

"Teal'c and I will not be comfortable with this," she said.

"But you are an officer. You swore an oath to do as commanded. I believe that you have more of a capacity to be flexible under the circumstances than the previous leader of SG-1 was," he deliberately avoided the use of the Colonel's name. "Comfortable or not, this is a direct order from the president himself. You have two free spaces, but we will only require that you have one Russian on your team since Martouf serves as an alternate fourth when desired. What I need to know is, do you want an officer or a scientist? Before you answer, consider this-they would be sending new recruits. Men and women who have been trained to think in the same manner as we do. More or less."

Her answer was slow in coming as she tossed about the pros and cons of each. "It would be best if we had a civilian join us. They should be more open to our mind-set. The Russian military mind is diametrically opposed to ours, even if they have been trained to think as we do, some of their old ideology would still be there." Only the fact that Daniel would have approved of this plan allowed her to speak calmly and clearly.

"That's what I thought you would say. Dr. Markov enjoyed working with you the last time and has expressed an interest in doing so again. How do you feel about that? She knows about the Goa'uld and has taken the necessary courses to defend against them."

"That will be fine," she agreed, preparing to leave the room. Well, the idea of Dr. Markov on the team wasn't too bad, though she knew there were others who would balk at the idea of including a Russian on the team-especially Teal'c. They did not impress him after their performance in Marduk's ziggurat.

But it wasn't like they were asking her to make it a _permanent_ addition.

_Sam, you owe it to him. Remember what you told Colonel Ferretti_. A tentative plan came to mind and she tried to push it aside, thinking it absurd.

_How can he make up for things if he's not given the chance_? But it was a persistent little pest. _Ignore me all you want, but I am not leaving you in peace until you at least **attempt **to do something positive about him_.

"Sir, I'd like Jonas Quinn to serve as another alternative fourth."

"Jonas Quinn?" he repeated doubtfully. The Kelownan had been there for two months and had yet to be accepted. Some openly reviled him. Though he tried to keep it down, George understood why it was happening. This man represented the loss of two of their own. Not by enemy hands but by 'friendly' ones.

_General, listen to me. This is a good idea_, a familiar voice prodded.

"Yes, sir. I believe its something that Daniel would want. And it won't be permanent," she hastily added. "I think that having him fill that place when Martouf is gone will not only give him experience but fill in the fourth spot."

George nodded, "I shall take that into consideration." Words that shocked him-and silenced the voice inside.

"Thank you, sir." Sam said no more, shocked by her own words and temerity. This wasn't what she had intended when she had left her office. Jonas Quinn robbed her of two of her family as surely as if he'd shot them himself-no matter what she told Lou. But there was something so very _Daniel_ about the idea, that it just seemed right.

There was a knock on the door. At the general's nod, she stood up and saluted after opening the door. "Major Carter," the man saluted in return.

"Colonel Kawalsky," she sharply addressed him. "Good luck," she whispered giving him a sympathetic smile.

Then she contemplated what to do. Faced with an office full of paperwork, she had a flash of sympathy for the Colonel. No wonder he usually stayed away and complained about the size of the reports she and Daniel turned in. The workload did rather swamp any free time they were given.

Heading for the commissary, she felt a twinge of guilt for leaving Jonas to deal with her work. But she quickly forgot that. Seeing Sara Kawalsky, she grabbed a diet soda and a pretzel before joining her. "How are you?"

"Tired. Harassed. Desperately hoping that the next scientific discovery is a way for _men_ to have the babies. You?"

She smiled crookedly at her, "you just stole my feelings-especially that last one. How am I to surpass that?"

"By saying that you are mad at Jack O'Neill for doing this to you. For leaving you to deal with the fallout of Daniel's ascension. That you are angry with Daniel for leaving. Because he wanted to leave even when your father was healing him. For showing himself only to the colonel. At Jack, for burdening you with Jonas Quinn and helping him find his way around here," she paused, studying her critically. "Any of this ringing any bells?"

"When did you take over for Dr. MacKenzie?" she coldly asked, words to close to the mark for her comfort.

"I'm a mother, I recognize the signs having felt them myself more than once. That rage simmering just below the surface is something I felt so many times for Charlie-still do if you want some honesty. Its human, Sam, and we are all too human. Is it so wrong to admit that?" it was a gentle question.

"When I have no real reason, yes."

Sara studied her critically, "you really believe that, don't you? How sad. Sam, you have every right to feel that anger. For five years, you had Jack and Daniel by your side. They are gone, one through tragedy, the other through a broken soul. But your wound is just as great, just as deep as theirs. They left you alone. Something that, for you, is wrong.

"Jack once joked that the team that dies together, stays together. You believed that with all your heart because it had never failed you. It was a constant in your life. But this one senseless act of loss destroyed that certainty. It's a betrayal of all you let yourself hope for and trust in." Sara fell silent, letting the major process her words. "It's irrational and selfish but all to human. Acknowledge it or it will canker your soul."

The two women were silent until Janet joined them.

With the addition of the CMO, the conversation turned to the trials of raising kids and teenagers in the midst of their secretive jobs. Though she had no kids of her own, Sam was raised military and could impart some of her mother's wisdom. Grateful as she was that the uncomfortable subject had been dropped, the major couldn't help but dwell on the wisdom of Sara's words.

Regret in her heart, Sam left the two women alone. She'd lingered a bit to long over lunch and the reminder of the work before her had begun to reassert itself firmly upon her tired mind. Besides, she figured Colonel Kawalsky would show up soon and she wanted to evade **those** fireworks. He had as much reason to dislike the Russians as Colonel O'Neill did.

Upon entering her office, she could only stop and stare in shock at the sight before her. It was like someone had taken her back in time to before the ascension. Where chaos had once ruled, now there were neat piles of papers and folders.

Jonas glanced up from the phone and smiled at her. Something he seemed to do an awful lot of, she absently noted as she listened to his conversation. "That's right, Miss. I'm looking for Professor Sydney Fox.

"Why? To see if she would be interested in heading an archaeological department.

"Oh, I see. Well, I'll call back in a week then.

"No, sorry. My employer would prefer to talk directly to Professor Fox about the details so as to avoid any miscommunication. I wouldn't want to give her any false information about a job this important.

"Thank you for your understanding and time." He hung up after the good-bye and turned to her. "I've gone through most of the names on the list for the archaeology experts. Some expressed interest but mostly they wanted more details. Dr. Jones, the third, is the last one I need to contact. Unless you'd rather do it?"

Her head shook as she started to peruse through the files in the urgent box. "Go right ahead, you are doing just fine, Mr. Quinn."

A huge smile of relief crossed his face and he babbled out a thank you. "I'm going to grab a cup of tea after I make this call, if that's okay?"

"Quinn, I'm not a slave driver. Take a break, you've been hard at work for several hours."

"That's fine, I just need to get a drink. Would you mind calling me Jonas? Unless that's to forward, then you can forget it." He ignored the slightly harsh sound of her voice, figuring it had something to do with the General.

"We'll see," she murmured, absently reaching for a pen. Reading over the report, she made some notations of her own based on all the reports for the planet she'd read. In the background, Jonas continued to make the calls but for the sound of his voice, the afternoon passed in silence.

6

Jonas sighed with relief, finishing the last follow-up phone call. Crossing the last name off of the list, he greeted Nyan, who had just returned from his lunch break. Removing a clean sheet of paper and in the neatest hand he had, he made a list of those who were interested in the anthropology and linguistic heads-then marked the ones that he thought were best suited for the job based on his understanding of what the job entailed.

In the back of his mind, he wondered why he even bothered putting in his own input. Most likely, his recommendations would be ignored. It wasn't as if he actually knew what they really needed in their department heads. He only knew what he felt and observed when he watched Nyan and Dr. Lee work.

"Everything all right?" his cheery voice asked. He leaned over Jonas' shoulder, reading and making a few approving sounds.

Looking up at Nyan, he shrugged. "The one most favored for the anthropological head has an odd request that I hesitate to mention to Major Carter. And the most talented of the linguists has a last name sure to cause pain-O'Neill. He's a lieutenant, junior grade."

Nyan whistled. "That's troublesome. But nothing to fret over, really. He's been here before and proved to be nothing like Colonel O'Neill. I wouldn't worry to much about it."

"But I have to, I'm the one who contacted him and put him in the know."

"Afraid for your head?"

Jonas thought for a moment, then shook his head. "More like worried for how this suggestion will go over."

"He was recommended by Dr. Jackson, correct?" Nyan received a confirming nod. "Then stop worrying."

"I can't help it," he stopped the whine quickly. "Then there's Dr. Sandburg and his request about Detective Ellison-his partner."

"So?" Nyan asked.

"So? Doesn't partner refer to something more between people than a working relationship?"

Nyan rolled his eyes. "Sometimes. But there are other times when it means two equals working together for a common goal-much like many of the SG teams. Besides, its none of our business what Dr. Sandburg does on his own time. As long as he gets his work done, that's all anyone will focus on. He is also not an enlisted man. So, certain rules don't apply to him."

Jonas wasn't so sure that it was that easy. He had heard of some cases where such open-mindedness did not exist. But Nyan had lived among the Tua'ri for longer than he did. In this, he would not ignore another's wisdom.

656

Walking into Major Carter's office, she looked up at him. Face pale with exhaustion and eyes bright with fever, she peered at him for a moment before sneezing. "Well?"

"Dr. Sandburg just received his anthropology doctorate but he's got experience with the kinds of situations we deal with. His thesis was on the closeted society of police departments and he observed the Major Crimes Division in Cascade. The only problem is that he's involved in a long-term project with the main detective he observed, a Detective James Ellison. I did some research on him, found out he was a Ranger and made it to the rank of Captain," he hesitated.

"What does this hesitation mean?" she asked. Or rather, Jolinar did.

"He referred to him as his partner."

Sam instantly picked up on what troubled him. "Mr. Quinn, as long as no one asks, we don't have to bring attention to it. Dr. Sandburg and Detective Ellison are professionals. They know how to behave. Ellison…where have I heard that name before?" she murmured.

"But how can we stop them from asking?"

She stared at him, a hard look in her eyes. "It is none of our business unless it impedes their abilities to work. You will get used to such rumors, Mr. Quinn. Or you will find working here hard. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Major Carter."

"Good. I take it that he has made a request similar to another one we received. If he is to work here, we must hire Detective Ellison as well, right? It should not be a problem as he once worked in the military as a Ranger. And it would seem hypocritical for us to say no when we are allowing Professor Fox to bring along her assistant, Nigel Bailey."

Nodding, he sat down. "That's correct, Major. In my search, I found that he was special operations trained and a highly decorated officer, so clearance should be no problem. Spent sometime in Peru and successfully handled the drug traffickers down there. To this day, there haven't been any problems. As for Mr. Bailey, he does have a handle on dead languages, they could use him in the linguistic department."

"Anything else? You've been silent on the choices for Head Linguist," she hinted.

"Well, there is one," gulping, he continued. "A Lieutenant, junior grade, Timothy O'Neill."

"O'Neill," she repeated, thoughtfully. "Young enough and in the military. Has experience with secret projects, main branches of study aboriginal tongues and northern dialect, though like most linguist, he knows Middle-Eastern dialects. Until the Stargate took prominence, was considered for the SeaQuest project.

"Daniel knew him. Had met him at one of the conferences he took in and was impressed by his intelligence, that's why he'd been allowed to work here a few times. All right, I'll give them all a call after talking to General Hammond and getting his feedback. I imagine that he will want to handle the lieutenant personally."

Teal'c waited until they had finished speaking before announcing his presence. "JonasQuinn, if you are to join SG-1, you must report to your physical training sessions. I was most displeased with your performance yesterday."

He winced and flushed, the reminder of the fiasco still fresh in his mind. Knowing that protesting would do no good, he rose and followed Teal'c out.

Idly fingering the papers, Sam wondered how the Colonel would handle this situation. Well, it was really up to the general. All she had to do was bring him the recommendations. Still, she worried that she might be doing the wrong thing. What if this all went straight to Hell because she ignored what might be happening between these two men? _Jolinar, what am I to do about them? If I agree and invite this man here and he suffers because of it, I would never forgive myself_.

_Samantha, you have resources that Jonas Quinn does not. If the situation truly worries you, then find out what is going on for yourself_.

_You mean pry into their personal lives? What if I find something that I don't want to know about_?

_Why fuss about what ifs? It could be that these men have developed a relationship similar to the one that Daniel Jackson and Colonel O'Neill enjoyed. That you and Doctor Fraiser have_.

_There is that possibility. They do experience life and death situations_.

_Besides, is it really any of your business_?

Sam thought for a moment, _not unless it endangers the SGC in some way. Technically, he would be a civilian_.

_Exactly. Can we get some rest now? Whatever we were doused with has inhibited my abilities to heal us_.

_Just for a moment_, the major conceded. Rising, she went to one of the rooms on base and slept.

Cascade, Washington.

Jim entered the loft he shared with Blair and noticed that the light on the phone was blinking. The tall, muscular man was curious as to who would call their home phone when both men possessed cell phones. Pushing the button, he walked into the kitchen, knowing it wasn't Blair on the other end. His guide had called earlier and told him that he'd be late due to an impromptu meeting of the college's department heads.

"_Dr. Sandburg? This is Doctor Samantha Carter_."

_Carter, I know that name_. Light blue eyes closed as he thought about it. _But from where_?

In the background, her voice continued to speak. He listened with half an ear until the meaning of her words became clear.

"_I know that you made your position clear about the job offer but we really feel that you would be best suited for the job. Having read your thesis, I am more than convinced of your suitability to serve as our anthropological department head. We need someone with your insight and compassion to help us out. Talking to my superior, we have found no objections to your conditions. I shall call you tomorrow at eight to talk about it_."

The sentinel stood, more than a little shell-shocked. Blair had not said a word to him about this job offer with Dr. Carter. Or any offers about other jobs, for that matter. What was his guide keeping from him now?

After that whole fiasco with Alex Barnes and her using him to train her own senses so that she could profit from them, he thought that they had learned to stop keeping secrets from each other.

"Hey, Jim!" An enthusiastic voice said as the door opened. "We got out earlier than I thought we would, so I brought…what's wrong?" The blue eyes of the shorter man widened, recognizing the look of pain in Jim's eyes.

Not answering, he played the message. "Oh, man. I didn't think they would call again. Sorry you had to hear that," he quickly joined him and put the containers of food down. "Listen, that job offer is just that, an offer. One that I have no intention of taking."

"Blair, what was it about?" He finally spoke, an iron control over his downward spiraling emotions.

Knowing that Jim wouldn't let it drop and that honesty was the only way to save the situation, he began. At first, he talked rapidly, revealing his nervousness. But, once he became comfortable, he slowed down to a more normal pattern. "About three weeks ago, I received a call from a Jonas Quinn. He told me that he was an assistant for Dr. Carter, an astrophysicist who works there.

"He informed me that there was a job available as the head of an anthropology department at Cheyenne Mountain. Intrigued, I asked what they did exactly and he told me they study deep space telemetry. But, due to working under the mountain, they had needed to bring in an anthropologist, then another. Now, they need someone to get things in order and do the general business of running things."

"Sounds like something that you would love to do. Why refuse?"

"Jim, it wouldn't be fair to you. It wouldn't be appropriate considering what we are to each other. And you need me to help you keep your senses in line, we've seen what happens when they go untended." He replied, smoothing back his dark curly hair.

"Chief, I don't want to deny you this job if that's what you want," he said.

Blair smiled, patting his back comfortingly. "I know. But like I said when I truly changed my thesis from you and your sentinel abilities to the major crimes department, it's about friendship."

"But this interests you?" he pressed him.

"Yeah. I mean, that society has to be more closed off than any police department, with their own rituals and secret codes," he enthused. "But, I like the work I'm doing now. It doesn't matter to me, Jim, both jobs are about something I care about. The one I have now allows me to keep working with you, that's all."

"Dr. Carter did say that your conditions would pose no problems. Dare I ask what they were?"

"Man, you are not going to like this," he groaned. "I told them that I was involved in a long-term project with my partner, Detective Ellison. That I would not consider taking a job which asked that I move away and leave said partner behind."

"Partner?" he asked apprehensively. As a sentinel, he knew the truth of the term. It was what they were-equal beings helping each other out. But also being a military man, he knew what some would make of the word. And their closeness would confirm it, Blair could be in for a world of hurt.

Blair nodded. "I think that they should be warned about me, about us. While I may not be able to control how people perceive us, I wanted them to be aware of how our relationship could come across."

"But you want to go," it wasn't a question. "And such a statement could prevent you from making friends even before you get in the front door."

"I'm no stranger to pain, Jim," he dryly reminded him. "And I wouldn't take a job that would prevent me from being here for you. All right, it does sound interesting. A fascinating study of humanity being isolated in a sea of people. Of how the military and the civilians mingle and work together when their basic dichotomy is so different."

"Military?"

"I thought you knew that," he was puzzled.

"No, but I know why Dr. Carter's name reminded me of someone. Back when I was debriefed after returning from Peru, I made the acquaintance of one Major General Jacob Carter," he informed him. "So, you won't take this job unless I come with you."

Shaking his head to protest the statement, he opened his mouth to reply when Jim's cell phone rang.

"Ellison," he barked. Listening for a moment, his gaze rested thoughtfully on Blair. Resting a comforting hand on the guide's agitated shoulder, he let him know without words that he wasn't angry at him. "I see, Major. Yes, we'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

Meeting Blair's inquisitive gaze, Jim explained. "That was Major **Doctor** Samantha Carter and she did some research about me. Seems that the CIA isn't the only one who noticed how odd I was behaving on my return. The job offer has been extended to include me because of my abilities. And they want me to lead one of their teams."

"What do you know about deep space telemetry?"

"You still think that's what they do?" he asked. "You know as I do that deep space telemetry is a cover story. What I want to know is, what are they hiding. Everyone knows that Cheyenne Mountain is where NORAD is, why would they need a cover story like that."

"Jim, you don't have to do this for me," Blair protested.

Jim's head shook. "I think I need to do this for us. Cascade is full of bad memories for the both of us. A new start would do us some good-especially in a place where I don't have to hide what I am."

"Are you sure?" he doubtfully asked. "Because, while I appreciate the sentiment, I don't want you to do this for me. Doing so would only make you unhappy. What's between us isn't just a sentinel/guide thing. It is about our friendship."

"Blair," he interrupted. "There's no harm in going and finding out what Major Doctor Carter has to say. We're going to hear her and talk about it later, okay? We aren't agreeing to anything blindly."

"All right," he reluctantly agreed to the wisdom in Jim's words. Still, he couldn't help wondering if this was about him.

End, Act 11.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Major Carter rose and shook hands with both men and introduced Teal'c to them. Both sentinel and Jaffa picked up on the other's uniqueness immediately. While Jim's blue eyes went gray with suspicion, Teal'c's dark brown remained opaque.

"Major Doctor Carter," Blair began, rubbing Jim's back in soothing circles.

"Please, I prefer Major," she stated easily. The young doctor's voice was more youthful than she had expected but there was an energy and drive to it that she liked. "It's more my role now that our leader has retired. So, it is true? You are a man with five advanced senses? And Blair serves as your guide?"

Jim nodded, eyes still focused on Teal'c. The sentinel was trying to figure out why this man bothered him. He returned the stare impassively, not disturbed by his attempt to read him.

"What I am about to tell you cannot be told to anyone else. Captain Ellison's discretion may be relied on. What of yours, Dr. Sandburg?" Sam stared at the doctor, willing him to be blunt with her.

"Blair, please. The secret's not dangerous, is it?"

"If it got out, it would be the cause of much panic," she admitted. "Though there are some who argue against the morality of keeping our work a secret."

The anthropologist thought for a moment, coming to a conclusion. "While I can't say that I am comfortable making this promise, I won't say a word-even if I don't like what I hear. I am no stranger to keeping secrets to protect others from the pain it may cause."

His reply satisfied Sam. Starting at the beginning, she gave them a quick run-down about the Stargate program and all that had come because of it. "The Goa'uld are the most dangerous foes we have ever come across, though the replicators are bad as well. They have no conscience and, because of their true form-that of a parasite-they can hide anywhere. Replicators are mechanical bugs created as a toy. As we are technologically inferior, they aren't interested in us. The Goa'uld, on the other hand, are. We've given them much trouble over the years."

Teal'c spoke then, for it was his story. "As a Jaffa, I was born to be a servant of these gods. All Jaffa are. The one whose emblem I bear on my forehead is Apophis, I served as his First Prime. I was the one who enforced his policies. He had my wife and son killed, I became resolved to leave him-even if it meant my own death. This later proved to be a lie, but I had made my decision and would not back down. During the battle we fought with Ra on Abydos, I met ColonelO'Neill and DoctorJackson. With them, I helped free this planet from them both." His deep voice rumbled pleasantly in Blair and Jim's ears.

"What does it mean? That you are a Jaffa?"

"It means that my body was genetically altered so that it could be used to incubate the larval form of the gods." Teal'c replied evenly, bowing gravely to Blair. "I still carry a symbiote within and its presence is what disturbs you, DetectiveCaptainEllison."

"At the risk of sounding intrusive, why not get rid of it?" Jim asked, shuddering.

"The symbiote replaces my immune system," he simply stated. The voice of Ellison, he noted, was one from someone who was comfortable with authority. This sentinel would serve them well and with confidence.

"You would die without it?" Blair gasped, eyes wide with horror at the thought of it. He could not conceive of a race of people who would harm their own followers in such a manner.

"I would, DoctorSandburg."

The calmness of his reply disturbed Blair, though he knew it was because the man had dealt with this situation all his life. "Why do you need me?" He redirected the conversation in an effort to order his mind. What Teal'c said disturbed him and he knew that he needed time to deal with it.

"We are explorers and often run into other cultures that we do not understand. What you were told is true, we have many anthropologists at the base. They help the teams, sometimes they go on missions themselves. One of the duties is to give us a clear view of what kind of culture and history we are dealing with, because most cultures do not forgive or forget an error easily. Believe me, I speak from experience."

"So, I'm to run this department and basically keep things flowing. But you've been working for six years, why are you seeking someone now?"

"DoctorJackson previously led the department. He has sought a sabbatical," Teal'c said.

Mind circling, Blair could only hang on for the ride. "What would my job entail?"

"Gate travel. Briefings. Supervising recruits. Making sure that teams understand what they are getting into before they leave. Weapons training because as careful as we are, we have been known to get a few invaders inside the mountain itself. You would also be working closely with the archaeology and linguistic departments."

"And me? With my senses, I may do more harm than good."

"Have you not learned ways to deal with your senses?"

"Of course," Jim snapped. "But nothing we have here compares to what you speak of."

"Then you shall continue to learn with DoctorSandburg. I shall assist because my senses are on par with your own. There is much that I can teach you that your guide would not for he does not really know what it is like to have these senses. There is much that I can teach him that he would have no access to learning among the Tua'ri because of their lack of knowledge of such things."

"He has a point, Jim," Blair said. "We need sometime to think about this. If we do accept, will the SGC need to know about Jim?"

"It would be best to tell your team so that they may be of aid when you are not. The general will also need to know."

During her speech, Jim finally keyed into something about her. "You are different."

"In what way?"

"Many times this evening, you have spoken with anther voice. With another speech pattern," he elaborated.

The major sighed, nodding her head and deciding to tell him the truth. "I carry a Tok'Ra symbiote within me. Her name is Jolinar. She is a valuable ally-and my friend."

"You have one of those things in you?" Blair asked. For the second time in one evening, he felt truly repulsed and shocked. After what he'd heard, he could not believe that one of those parasites was allowed to live.

"Doctor Sandburg, I realize that it is a surprise but please do not refer to me as a thing. I am a Tok'Ra. I am a living entity deserving of your respect, not your revulsion or fear." She coldly uttered. "We are not like the Goa'ulds."

Blair flushed. "I apologize. Are there more life forms out there?"

"Yes, though many are humanoid in form," Jolinar accepted his apology and they began to discuss what they'd find. The evening ended on a good note for the mixed feelings all of them felt.

656

"Chief, we need to do this. I feel deep inside that we should do this," Jim said when they entered the loft.

"I feel the same. But may be we should sleep on it, let the information we've heard truly sink it."

Reluctantly, Jim agreed. Bidding each other an uncertain good night, they turned in, thoughts restlessly swimming in their heads. Finally, they fell into an uneasy sleep.

_They stood, side by side in a cement room. A circular disc glowed to sudden life before them. Blue light rippled in waves. Looking over at Blair, Jim saw his guide decked out in fatigues with his hair pulled back into a tight clasp. Even now, Blair refused to get it cut_.

_His own body was similarly clothed-though he had a large gun with his equipment. He vaguely recalled that it was a P-90. The newest of the standard weapons the military was issuing these days_.

"_Ready, Chief?" his voice echoed oddly in the cavernous room_.

"_As ready as I'll ever be. You?" the voice sounded far away and nervous, yet it reached out and comforted him still_.

"_Let's do it, Chief." Without another word, the newest SG team entered the gate_.

656

"Jim." "Chief." They spoke at the same time over the breakfast table. "I'll call the major."

"I'll get everything ready for our move." Jim offered, knowing that of the two, he was more qualified. Blair's organizational skills-inside and outside of work-were a mystery clear only to the guide.

And the last thing Jim wanted was for their stuff to end up in Burma or Tibet.

656

Trinity College.

Professor Sydney Fox returned from her trip to Beirut, tired but relieved. Her teaching assistant, Nigel Bailey, sat talking to their student secretary, Claudia Barns. They smiled at her when she entered.

"What's going on?" she suspiciously asked, narrowing her dark brown eyes at the blond woman and the brown haired man. When the two of them looked at her like that, all of her defenses went on line. Something was up.

"Dr. Carter called," Nigel said, hazel blue eyes curious. "I talked to her for a while. She seemed puzzled that I knew nothing about her offer to the both of us. Then, she invited us to lunch to talk about the conditions of employment."

Claudia asked, "what's going on, Syd?" Her own green brown eyes held more than a touch of curiosity in them.

Sydney went to her office, gesturing for them to follow. Nigel shut the door before sitting down under the window. "I have been offered a position at a university that works in connection with the research facility at Cheyenne Mountain."

"Why? I thought they had something to do with space," Nigel commented. "We teach history, not space."

"A good question. One I have not been able to find a satisfactory answer to. But they want me to replace Dr. Jackson as Head of the Archaeology Department."

"What does archaeology have to do with space?" Claudia asked. "And, more to the point, you? You're a history professor-even if you do recover relics for museums."

"I don't know," she sighed, running a hand through her black hair before pulling it into a bun.

"If you take this job, what'll happen to me? The university has never been happy with my presence here." Not normally a selfish man, the Brit was worried. His position here had been tenuous at best. They had only accepted him because Professor Fox wanted him.

"You'll come with me, of course. I don't expect this job to cut into my extra-curricular activities _that_ much. Nigel, I'll need you with me," she stated.

"Nice to know I'm needed by someone," Nigel dryly said. The sound of the door opening ended their discussion and the day began in earnest.

Over lunch the next day, Sam gave them the same speech she'd given to Blair and Jim. By her side, Teal'c sat, silently alert to everything around them. This time, he didn't say much because there was not so great a need. Though Professor Fox and Nigel Bailey were smart, they would not pick up on the presence of his symbiote, they had not the advanced senses of the sentinel.

Nor would they be aware that the major was more than a human. That would be a story to tell them once they had agreed to come work with them. He knew they would, this professor had the same warrior spirit about her that MajorCarter did. Not much work would be needed to get her into fighting shape.

Her assistant, on the other hand, would need to join JonasQuinn in a remedial course of self-defense. But Teal'c knew that this was a man who would come through for them in a pinch, he had that kind of character.

"Dr. Jackson's theories were correct?" Sydney's husky voice was weak with disbelief. She was flabbergasted. Back when he'd first published his hypothesizes, she had been one of the first to mock him. Had, in fact, been out of the door first when he gave his lecture.

Now, she found out that not only was he right, he had been involved in a program that provided him right on a daily basis. An active program that had been up and running for eight or so years. He was one of the first through the gate.

That he had, in fact, _opened_ the gate and got the whole thing started. Using his innate genius, he had opened up the world to a whole new realm of possibilities. The mind just boggled at the possibilities this program brought up. They were endless and infinite.

"Yes," Sam confirmed. "In fact, the first world opened to us told the story of the Stargate and our involvement in it. Abydos-that's what the planet is called-is also where many of the gate coordinates we use came from."

"Not all of the story, MajorCarter," Teal'c spoke for the first time. "We are still learning about it and those who really made the gate, the Ancients."

"Of course, you're right, Teal'c. I should not give those scavengers the credit of creating the Stargates."

"What are you talking about? What was Dr. Jackson correct about?" Nigel felt adrift in this conversation. He had, of course, heard of the archaeologist/anthropologist/linguist and his accomplishments. His name, along with his parents, were in the textbooks they taught from.

But he hadn't been heard of in years.

Sydney came out of her thoughts. "Of course, you didn't study the wild theories some people came up with about the pyramids. Dr. Jackson proposed the theory that the pyramids were older than we believe, that there was quite a cross pollenization of beliefs in the formative years of the planet. He believed that such signs were proof of visitations of other beings to Earth and that they helped us out."

"And?"

"There are many 'alien' races who originated from Earth," Teal'c answered.

"Why me?" she asked. "I'm a professor of ancient civilizations, not an archaeologist."

"We realize that. As for why, Dr. Jackson recommended you," Sam replied. "He has kept an eye on the archaeological community and those who exist on the edges of it. Your integrity and ingenuity in going about the world to retrieve artifacts kept your name uppermost in his mind. He felt that you would not be swayed by anyone to steal or cheat a civilization out of their history."

"Even after I publicly derided him?"

"DoctorJackson is not one to bear a grudge against another for their beliefs. He understood your reasons."

"Where do I come in?" Nigel asked, curious as to his role in this picture. "I'm not really anything more than a history major and assistant to Professor Fox."

"There are a few openings in the linguistic departments. I understand that you speak and read quite a few languages that are considered dead," Sam commented. "Unless you would like to run it yourself? You are more than qualified."

Nigel balked at that. "No, thanks. I can barely keep on track with my own paperwork."

"What would we be required to do?"

"Professor Fox, you and Mr. Bailey would basically run the archaeology department, in close conjunction with the anthropology and linguistic departments. Cataloging artifacts, dating them, labeling them. Educating the ignorant about what signs to look for to avoid gravesites or holy sites. You'd attend briefings, run your own team, explore worlds, and basically do anything that is asked of you. Mr. Bailey, you would be asked to serve as an interpreter, both for missions with Professor Fox and on any documents that might come back with other teams."

"We'd be going to these planets?"

"That is where much of the work is, Mr. Bailey," Sam dryly said. "Weapons training and physical fitness is required of everyone. As well as general survival and medical skills. If the idea of gate travel unnerves you to much, that's okay. But you will not get out of weapons training."

"Anything else?" Sydney asked.

Again, Teal'c spoke up, giving Major Carter time to rest. "You will be working with many you would consider aliens. I myself am a Jaffa. Back at the mountain, there are three others you will be working with. All of them are very talented and gifted individuals. Nyan, who has served as DoctorJackson's assistant in the linguistic department. Orlin, who works in the physics department under a DoctorLee. Then there is JonasQuinn, who has yet to find his own niche."

"As well as the Tok'Ra and the Asgard, they often drop by without much warning," Sam added, a grin twisting her lips. "There are some unpleasant aliens about. But we usually only meet them off world. Oh, about the Unas…they may look hostile but if they have no cause to attack, they won't."

"Unas? I'm not familiar with that word."

"You wouldn't be, Mr. Bailey. Teal'c informed us of their reality. You'll know them, they resemble the Yeti, the Abominable Snowman, Big Foot, and Sasquatch." She used terms familiar to them, knowing it would spare her the necessity of describing them.

"Met these Unas' often?" Sydney asked, curious about how casual the major sounded about what seemed to be a large monster.

"A few times. We generally try to avoid them because their language is difficult to speak, being a combination of words and sounds," she sounded both awed and rueful. "Only Daniel would attempt to do such a thing-and succeed at it."

Though decidedly queasy about the nature of their new job-he knew they'd be going. The look in Sydney's eyes was one he knew all to well. She was excited about the prospect, something he could understand, feeling it as well. "So, how long is Dr. Jackson's sabbatical to last?"

For a brief moment, an eternal sorrow flashed in Sam's eyes. "For as long as he needs."

Nigel and Sydney exchanged glances. Her reply was not much of an answer. But it really wasn't their business-yet. "We'll do it. But I can't leave until after this semester ends. We are to far into it to cancel classes."

"How long will you need?"

"Let me think," she pondered for a bit. "Nigel's free to go by the end of the week, but I'll need three more months. It'll take that long for my paperwork to go through and find a suitable replacement for me."

"Will that be all right with you, Mr. Bailey?"

"That's fine. I can go ahead and start working, getting things organized so that the transition is easier." He stopped, thinking for a moment. "Will I be going on these missions after I arrive and get settled in?"

Sam's head shook. "No. You'll be going through the same month long training that everyone else endures."

"That's a relief," he sighed. The afternoon ended on a pleasant note. Sam and Teal'c were relieved that none of the tension that had existed when they interviewed Blair and Jim was between them here. As for the scholars, they felt they made the best choice-though Nigel still worried. Danger was something he preferred to avoid.

656

"Lieutenant O'Neill, how do you feel about accepting this position?" She studied the young man. Tall and thin with a large nose and dark brown hair and pale skin, he could be dismissed as a lightweight because he lacked visible muscles. But she could sense the strength in him.

The brown-eyed man studied the major behind his glasses, debating his response to this land mine of a question. "Permission to speak freely, Major?"

"Permission granted," she agreed, liking the firm tone in his voice.

"I don't feel up to filling Dr. Jackson's shoes. The man is a genius, I don't feel right about stepping into his place," he told her.

"But you will do it?"

"Of course, it is an interesting challenge. One that linguists everywhere would give anything for," he replied smugly. Saluting each other, he was dismissed to make his way into his new office and to meet his staff. Nyan waited for him. He would serve as guide until the lieutenant had settled in. Then, he would return to his position as assistant.

6

A month after the proposal:

Dr Svetlana Markov sat beside the few officers on the plane, ignoring them for the most part. Nor did she pay any heed to the scientists that also occupied the plane. Their passes had finally cleared and they were underway. After two years of political finagling, she was going to be _there_. Finally, she would be where the action was-and it would be work free of the mindset of the Russian military mind.

Of course, there was still the _American_ military mindset to deal with. But when she thought about the alternative, fighting their set minds was nothing.

Most important of all, she had beat out all other comers. She would be placed on SG-1 and work once more with Major Doctor Samantha Carter and Dr. Daniel Jackson.

A partnership she had found to be most productive and beneficial for her. Disembarking at the military airport, they were taken immediately to Cheyenne Mountain. As they were escorted to the general's office, she glimpsed Major Carter in her office talking to a tall young man with dark brown hair she didn't recognize from any of the photos of the personal they had been given to help ease the transition.

This omission struck her because he had the air of one who had been at the base for some time.

General Hammond exited his office and cordially greeted them. Then he introduced them to Major Paul Davis, the Pentagon liaison, and Dr. Robert Rothman, acting head of the archaeology department.

This struck Dr. Markov as odd. "Shouldn't Dr. Jackson be here as he is the leading civilian and on the premier team? Or is he unavailable due to a mission unrelated to SG-1?"

There was a tense silence for a moment before the general answered her question. "He has taken a sabbatical. Since he started working here five years ago, he has rarely taken a break and the reason he started working here is gone. Questioning his reasons for being here, he decided to take a break," he elaborated but refused to be drawn into further conversation.

Once in the room she'd been given, she put away her things and sat down on the bed, puzzled. Taking down her black hair, her black eyes deep in thought, she pondered the problem as she brushed it.

A sabbatical? Dr. Jackson didn't seem the type for that kind of thing. Though she knew the job was stressful-and dangerous-her research into his nature revealed that he thrived on stress. His best work came when he was given a deadline.

"Dr. Markov?" Sam knocked and peered around the door when she got an answer. "How are you doing?"

"I am well," she indicated for the major to join her. "I will admit that I am slightly overwhelmed. Will Colonel O'Neill allow me the time to find my feet?"

"Colonel O'Neill no longer works here. His knees have gotten so bad that he would be relegated to a desk job. That was something the Colonel could not tolerate after all he had done for the program, so he retired." Her face felt stiff throughout the explanation.

A scrutinizing look met her own gaze. "I see," she finally said. "And when Dr. Jackson returns, will he supervise his own team?"

Sam shrugged, "probably not. He is too important to SG-1 to put him on another team. But you can never tell with Daniel, he may decide that he would rather stick to his archaeology than play the diplomat for us and run the risk of capture." But her gaze avoided the intent gaze of the Russian scientist.

"Major Carter, will you please tell me what is going on? I don't claim to know Dr. Jackson as well as you do but he doesn't seem the type to leave because of stress. Or a sense of lost direction-unless something else is going on. Does it have anything to do with Colonel O'Neill?"

"The Colonel?" she asked, looking slightly confused.

"Even in the wilds of Russia where I was exiled for a while, we have heard the rumors," her smile was pitying, seeming to ask the major how dare she try to fool her with this dumb blonde routine. Markov knew what the major was capable of.

"Oh, those. Dr. Markov, those are just idle rumors-much like the ones that circulate about myself and the Colonel. Or Teal'c and I. Or even Daniel and I, though we have well earned the label of wonder twins." This time, her reply was natural, even said with a happy laugh.

"Yes, I had heard of those ones as well. Does it not bother you that such speculations abound?"

"In the beginning it did. But as I grew to know the Colonel and many of the others, it did not. Most of the gossip is because of the closeness SG-1 has. To many newcomers, it is an odd thing. Then they experience their first or second Goa'uld attack, where they have to rely on their teammates and it becomes clear. Your team becomes an extension of you," she explained. "If their thoughts and actions don't become something you can almost predict, something's wrong with the way your working."

"I thought that your government had an active no fraternization policy?" she asked, something about this whole situation did not feel right to her.

"We do. Every few months or so, we are put under observation to see if these family like extensions are bordering on dangerous to the focus of our commanding officers and to the other members of the team. They give us a little leeway because of our precarious situation, thus you can date someone on another SG team. Colonel Kawalsky and his wife enjoy the benefit of that privilege. But if it looks like someone's crossing the line, action is taken to redress the problem," she finished.

Dr. Markov nodded, deep in thought. "Does not this policy make it hard for you to work with your own significant lover, Martouf?"

"One would think so," she laughed and sat down on the chair. "But on those missions, Teal'c commands. In all honesty, Dr. Markov, he should be leading SG-1. Teal'c is a brilliant leader and knows how to use each member of the team to their best advantage. He has more expertise than any of us here at the mountain. And, heaven knows, he's earned the chance to prove himself. He modestly refuses to take credit, saying he has learned much from watching General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill-both statements I do not doubt. But he has a natural talent that it's a shame he can't direct the team permanently."

"He is not allowed to do so because of his Jaffa status, I presume."

"For all he has done for us, many still do not trust him. Thankfully, they are in the minority," Sam sighed and fell silent, contemplating something.

"I shall enjoy working under both leaderships then," Svetlana said solemnly.

Jolinar took the explanation out of her hands and she felt grateful. "Dr. Markov, SG-1 will be attempting a small experiment. Recently, we have acquired a refuge from a city called Kelowna on one of the planets we visited. Due to its warrior nature, we wish to avoid further contact with them. They desire that we give them weapons to aid in their battles with each other. He will serve as our fourth on missions where Martouf is not available."

"How qualified is he for such things?"

"Jonas Quinn is new to Earth and unknowing of our ways. As required of all employees of the SGC, he will undergo training. On his planet, he worked on a developmental team, researching a new element-naquadriah. Thus, he has a background in science. Dr. Jackson has informed us that he has the ability to retain all he reads," Jolinar said.

She was interrupted. "All well and good but that doesn't answer my question. How does that qualify him to work on the first contact team? Retention does not equal comprehension or conscious recognition of applied principles, major."

Jolinar was silent, having the same questions herself. But she had heard the promptings of the voice and knew why her host was doing this. That did not mean that she felt comfortable with such a decision.

"I realize that, Dr. Markov," Sam snapped, not liking the way the Russian was questioning her.

"Then why allow him onto SG-1 without trying him on another team first? Should he not prove himself worthy? To place him on the team without seeing how he behaves in the field speaks of extreme naiveté. Something that I do not think you are capable of after all you have experienced." There was something odd about the way she was answering her now, more _human_ than before.

Counting to ten, Sam let her breath out in a slow, deep sigh. "Colonel O'Neill left it to me to integrate Mr. Quinn into our culture. Part of that is the work that we do, as he can do nothing else while he remains on Earth. And as he is an unknown factor, I wish to watch over his work myself. Once I know what he is capable of and where his true talents are, I can place him with the best team. There are those who do not treat him kindly." Parts of the explanation came from Jolinar's tongue, Sam still feeling to close to the idea to accept criticism easily.

"I do not believe this is how he would go about it. Colonel O'Neill may want to help this man adjust to this world but I imagine that his first course of action would be to observe him in action first-on another, less prominent team. Either this Jonas Quinn has shown true courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Or there is something more to this that you are not speaking about. What is truly going on?"

"That is confidential," she said stiffly.

In perfect imitation of Teal'c, Svetlana's eyebrow rose. "In a base this size, such a secret shall not be hidden long. I would rather that you come clean with me. I will be serving on your team, trust is important in order to form a partnership such as you've become accustomed to. And dishonesty is not the best way to go about it."

Silence descended upon the room as Carter thought about it. Jolinar mused softly, _there is logic in what this woman is saying_.

_I know, but to speak of Daniel's ascension goes against a direct order. And, Jolinar, it is rather painful to mention_.

_I understand, Sam, he was a wonderful man_. A wave of comfort swept through Sam, easing the grief slightly. _I will support whatever decision you make_.

_Thank you, dear friend_. "I'll have to speak to General Hammond. Are you going to join us in the commissary later?"

"I was given to believe that it was mandatory."

The major rose, smiling slightly. "With all due respect to your own culture and beliefs, we are not the Soviet Union."

"No one who begins a sentence with those words, means them to be respectful," she dryly said.

"If something is mandatory, you will be informed in no uncertain terms. Down here, the only thing that is required is briefings and medical testing," she carried on, as though she hadn't heard the Dr.'s rebuke.

"Tell me before you go, what is this naquadriah that you spoke of?" She walked to the door with her.

"Complicated," Sam paused, knowing she'd have to explain it sooner or later. Better to get it out of the way at the earliest possible time. "Tomorrow, come to my office. I'll show you what I have on it because the element is just to hard to discuss in ten words or less."

"Ten will be fine for me," she suggested.

Carter did some quick calculations before nodding in agreement. "I might be a little late because I have to sit in on SG-14's briefing. With the archaeology, linguistic, and anthropology department heads just now settling in, there are still some troubles that I still have to help settle."

Svetlana stayed quiet but her mind spun with various thoughts. In all honesty, claiming a personal knowledge of Dr. Jackson wasn't something she could assert, as she'd already admitted to the major. He was too impulsive for her tastes, to instinctual when it came to some things.

But he knew his job.

Leaving his departments in chaos showed a lack of foresight and compassion. Both traits he seriously lacked. Dr. Jackson may have little sense of self-preservation, but he always put others first. This she knew from first hand knowledge. But he was not one to leave others in the lurch. There was something going on here that troubled her.

"Until this evening then, Major Carter."

"Dr. Markov," she left and made her way to the infirmary. Watching her friend work with a patient, she sighed, gaining two curious looks for it. "Janet, do you have a moment?"

"For you, two," the doctor teased. When there was no rejoinder, she dismissed her patient and led her into the office. Shutting the door, she asked as she sat down. "What is it?"

"Dr. Markov's asking questions about Daniel and the Colonel. I know what the official story is. I've practiced the darn thing enough but I choked telling her. She's met them both and formed some pretty strong opinions about them. The problem is, she's right. About them and the way the Colonel would handle Jonas Quinn. She said I should trust her because we're on the same team and if I am unable to be upfront with her, how can I expect the same from her?" She collapsed into a chair after this speech, watching Janet process the information she just thrust at her.

Her inclusion of Jonas Quinn onto SG-1 had met with much hostility. Most of the base labeled her a heartless traitor at best, something unthinkable at the worst. Whether or not it was something Daniel would've approved of and, considering he had found compassion for the host of Apophis, no one wanted to see him in Daniel's place.

**_Sam_** didn't want him in Daniel's place. **_Jolinar_** didn't want to see someone else in the archaeologist's place. But they'd seen the bruises and the marks that Jonas sported occasionally. Trusting other teams with him was out of the question.

They'd just kill him through neglect.

The only saving grace the idea had was that it wasn't permanent. Quinn would only be there on rotational status.

"Dr. Markov has an astute mind. You knew that when you agreed to have her on SG-1. If you didn't want her to ask these kinds of questions, why did you allow her to join?" Janet asked mildly.

"I'm the leader now. Someone has to take over my job in the field because I no longer have the luxury to lead and work on the science aspect of the missions. I would prefer it to be someone I'm comfortable with, whose work I've read."

"Did you think that she would just accept the absence of Daniel and Jack?"

"Janet, I don't know what I thought. Deep down, I was hoping that these questions would never arise. Our situation is no different than anyone else's. People disappear all the time in our line of work. I guess I didn't think I'd choke up giving the story. I'm trained for this kind of thing."

"The only difference is, there's no real closure. Not between you and Daniel, you and the colonel. Even you and your dad," Janet observed.

She glared, hating the truth in her friend's words. "I don't need any closure with my dad."

"Yes, you do. If your dad hadn't stopped when Jack told him to, both of your brothers might still be with you now. We know that the Asgard could've healed Daniel-and they arrived right after he ascended. Stop trying to be SuperSam! and admit what's going on," she counseled.

Abruptly, Sam stood. The words cut too close to her heart. "I've taken up enough of your time, Janet, there are some interviews I must conduct. Until later."

Janet rested her chin on her hands, a thoughtful look in her eyes. At two hundred, she had seen enough to recognize the signs of imminent crash and burn. Shaking her head, she murmured sadly, "I'd hate to remove you from active duty but I may have to if it'll stop this self-destructive bend of yours, Sam. If I ever see you again, Jack, I will strangle you."

End, Act 12.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Reminder: This part does look familiar. There's a reason, I went back and made a few alterations, shortened and lengthened chapters because of something that happened in later parts. I had to add a sense of cohesiveness to the story. Here's to hoping it worked.

Author's Note: I know almost _nothing_ about sword fighting. Or any kind of fighting for that matter, so any action scenes like that will probably come across as unrealistic and I'll try to avoid them. I forgot, Professor Sydney Fox, Nigel Bailey, and Claudia are from "_Relic Hunter_." I made up Claudia's last name because I couldn't find it anywhere. Nigel's eyes color, as well as hers are also my own invention.

Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg are from "_The Sentinel_." Lieutenant j.g. Timothy O'Neill is the linguist played by Ted Raimi in "_SeaQuest_". As I didn't want to many Original Characters wandering about, I borrowed them.

Thanks, banner. Still with me, huh? Good to hear that I haven't scared you off, I'm very glad.

SG1superfan: Thanks. Nothing's wrong, except RL that is. :-)

babygirl: Thanks. Yeah, Jack's time with the Asgard isn't going to be detailed too much. Hope that's okay.

discosmiley: I'm glad you liked the thing with the way the SGC has treated Daniel. Never read anyone else who was upset by the way they acted. They're usually upset by Jack's behavior. In what way is Jack ooc? Reading over the work, I guess he borrows more from MacGyver than either of the Jack's. sigh Hopefully, it isn't to distracting. If I write any stories that aren't of this world, I'd like to know so I can steer him back on course, so to speak. :-)

got the cool sunshine! Thanks! Unfortunately, Jack is going to have to change. But considering what's happening in his life now, the assassins will get him if he doesn't alter himself. Hopefully, even in his new form, he will keep many of the things you enjoy. As for Highlander information, I went back and added more clarifying points-and it will be addressed in the future. Here's to hoping it works out.

6

Jack sighed, leaving the chamber Ama-Terasu dwelt in. Canaan was still unwell and could not be removed as of yet. It unnerved and sickened him to feel the symbiote in his neck. The only nice thing was that it was keeping its word to remain silent and stayed away from completing a true blending. Of course, that might be due more to his own control rather than Canaan's promise.

Still, the inaction grated because he was used to being up and doing something, not senselessly waiting.

But the Asgard put their foot down. As long as the symbiote remained, they wanted him safe and away from the battlefield. Consciously, he knew that they knew what was good and right in this situation. There was too much chance that he'd get injured in a way that would cause his powers to heal him and Canaan would realize just what he was. Nevertheless, it annoyed him to no end to be doing nothing.

Plus, all the Tok'Ra made him nervous.

Sooner or later, Jacob or Martouf would show up. With a sigh, he realized that the moment he'd put off for six and a half months had come. There was only one option to save the situation. He must do the one thing he feared to do while there was a passenger in his head.

Change.

Walking into his room, he stared into his face, studying the features that had been his for almost thirty years. Letting his mind drift, he recalled how this had come to be.

656

The student kicked back, staring in bored fascination at the assembled company before focusing on the four star general. Tall and dark skinned, a fair amount of wisdom shone in those deep eyes. The student also noted the authority he carried about him like a robe. Yes, this was one man the youth wouldn't mind serving under. One got the impression that he would gladly help his own men. Even do his own share of the heavy work.

Under the steady knowing hawk eyes, though, the man quaked. There was something otherworldly about this one. It was strange. He had spent many years in the military and faced a broad spectrum of enemies-including several tight fisted senators.

But none had ever unnerved him like this youth. Staring into those eyes, he feared that they'd chased after a tiger for a year before catching it for the job. A tiger that, once let lose, they would never catch and truly hold again.

If capture it they had. Somehow, he felt that the student was only there because the whole situation was to amusing to ignore.

Finally, in a clear and precise, if slightly feyish voice, the potential Jonathon O'Neill spoke. "Why me?"

Not exactly the reaction they'd come to expect from those approached. Denial of ability. Or cold calculation was more the usual for this state of affairs. But this…calm acceptance, even glee, kept them off balance. Whatever this kid's motives, it was clear that they wouldn't ever keep ahead of the changeling's agenda.

The eyes flashed furiously. "I am not accustomed to reading minds. If you do not wish to waste time, answer my question. Surely, it isn't that difficult for such _learned_ gentlemen." There was a slight slur to the words.

It was the barely there sneer, the lack of respect that caused the general to speak up. He bristled, they were allowing a _youth_ to demoralize them. To make them look bad. If they did not get the attention and respect they were owed now, how would they control things later? "I am General LeDerre and you are?"

Shrugging the thin shoulders, the student relaxed into the chair again, legs crossed casually at the ankles. Before their eyes, the long, shinning gold hair turned earthy brown, cut military short. Hawk eyes softened to a deep, coffee brown. "Does it matter? You wish me to be your new Jonathon O'Neill. I would much prefer to be called Jack though." The voice dropped the fey sound and deepened to a tenor.

"But you must have a name of you own," the general protested.

"At the risk of repeating myself, does it matter?" he shrugged. _Or dare to point out that since I was the first of the O'Neill's, it was my name_, he snickered a bit at that thought. "Do you or do you not want a perfect soldier?"

Again, silence greeted this question. After a moment, the general spoke again. "I think you've answered your own question as to why you." His voice was faint, as though he'd run a marathon and had yet to catch his breath.

"Humor me," he said blandly. There was nothing in his demeanor to suggest that there was anything more to him that a common shape shifter like they'd had before. But there was something raw, something untamed about him that gave them pause.

The assembled were coming to the same conclusion the general had from the first moment he laid eyes on the new Jack O'Neill. This was no ordinary youth. And they were in deep trouble.

From the back corner, a wiry thin man with thick black hair and narrow eyes spoke up. "Mr. O'Neill, please refrain from such a nonchalant attitude. What we are discussing now is a matter of importance to national safety."

"Were we? I thought we were discussing my name. Or lack thereof." Brown eyes swept his way, examining him in minute detail. "Do tell on."

"I am Senator Kilgarry and I will have your word that what you are about to hear never leaves this room."

"Senator, people rarely take anyone's word in this uncertain and suspicious age of ours. But if it will allay your needless fears, I swear upon the soul of the land that I was born from to never speak of such things to anyone-save those who are already in the know. Good enough for you?" he finished, coolly challenging the man.

"It will have to do," Senator Kilgarry grudgingly agreed. "Do you always speak so outlandishly?"

"Do you always bluster when you should be explaining something? Especially when it's about, how did you just put it? National security," he smoothly countered. Straightening up suddenly, his slender frame became muscular and easily topped six feet, he glared at them. "I came at your behest. I did not expect to sit here wasting my time-and yours-in a pointless alpha male contest. If you've nothing further to say, I will leave."

From a door on the far right of the dingy room, a figure moved towards them. The man, who topped six feet, came to stand before the young man. "Don't mind them. They are still new to all of this. If we had known that we are dealing with a prodigy, we would've sent the experts."

"You are?"

Dropping the guise after a moment, he became a shorter, genial, round faced man with thinning dark hair and smiling eyes. Extending his hand, he firmly shook the other's hand. "Pete Thornton, one of those who served our country in recent years as Jonathon O'Neill. The concept behind O'Neill is, as you have said, a perfect soldier. The identity was created several hundred years ago in the United Kingdom-only becoming ours in the last hundred fifty years or so."

"If he's perfect, why did he desert his country?" At last, a man with answers-whose got the guts to speak up. There was definite respect in his voice as he addressed Pete.

"Interesting question. We were given O'Neill in the treaty for the War of 1812 in exchange for various things. That O'Neill was unwilling to do so-seeing it, as you unconsciously did, as treason to his own country. Through him, our friendly ties to England were strengthened." Pete sat down, watching 'Jack' process this.

"What became of him?"

"After a few years, he retired. A new O'Neill came in and was trained by him." He paused, thinking for a moment. "You see, to be an O'Neill puts a drain on one's abilities. They never last long. No matter what the abilities, it always weakens them. I think there was one who served for ten years, but there were several extenuating circumstances behind it. The usual form-tall, brown, rather non-descript-was close to her natural form."

"Her?"

He nodded, "a few O'Neill's have been women of extra-ordinary courage and conviction. One of whom is still with us, she will be a part of your training. Unless you chose not to accept that is."

"I have nothing better to do," he shrugged.

Across the room, a resounding **thud** echoed as a thick cane crashed onto the floor. An ageless woman, with thinning blonde hair, rose, grace still in her thickening form. Sharp, hazel eyes met his as she approached them. "I have had just about enough of your jesting, young one. We are talking about the subjugation of your life for another. The life of an O'Neill is not easy-even for the gifted ones."

He met the eyes calmly, yet something flashed in those depths. "I do not doubt that for one moment, lady. But I see no reason to act as though it would be a burden to me to serve my country in whatever capacity they require of me. I provided you with enough of my back-story that you know what my life has been like. Do not think for one moment that I do not understand what is being asked of me. I comprehend it on a level I am sure you don't."

The voice remained calm throughout the speech, yet there was a wealth of knowing in that voice that had become slightly Eastern European in accent that they couldn't miss. Their gazes remained locked and he smiled thinly at her, _yes, I know you. Hello, dear Shiva, what have you done to yourself_?

_Nothing much. Couldn't stay away from all this, could you, Eliazer_? "I am Mab McGovern."

_Since when have you taken upon yourself Eriu_? "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. McGovern. Shall we continue? Now that it seems we have people who actually have a clue as to what's going on?"

"There really is nothing more to tell," Mab replied. _Since becoming Jonathon O'Neill, I have visited your beloved Isle. She deserves all the loyalty given her_.

"When does my training begin?"

"Take a year off to tie up loose ends." Pete's hands rose placatingly, realizing that an objection was coming. "You may not think you have any but be absolutely certain. In a situation like this, any untied end can lead to disaster."

Because Pete's voice spoke of personal experience, and Jack liked the man, he acquiesced. "Very well, one year. I take it that you do not want me in Vietnam?"

General LeDerre cleared his throat and spoke up. "No. We wish to apply your special talents elsewhere, though that doesn't mean you might not step foot on Vietnamese soil. The O'Neill we sent is not to return, at least not in that form."

Though he nodded, the new O'Neill knew he had to be there. So, another identity must be created for that to happen.

Well, he once had a brother who only wanted to be called MacGyver. Not only was he family, he had taught him many things. His brother deserved to live once again. Besides, one never knew when such creative brilliance would come in handy.

6

"What'cha you doing, Jack?"

"Thinking," he replied absently, coming to a conclusion. Until he had made a final decision, he'd bounce between forms and decide which one he liked for his new life.

"Thought you let you P-90 do that for you when I'm not around," Daniel smirked.

He turned and semi-glared up at his friend. "Cute. So, ascension makes a comedian out of you? Don't forget the laugh track so people will know when the humor comes in."

"You only miss the absurdity because you've become oblivious to laughter as of late," he retorted, sobering quickly. "What are you thinking about? Anything I can help with?"

"Changing my form," he replied, swinging a chair around to sit on it, facing Daniel.

"Heard something?" Daniel asked, concerned. With Jack out of commission for a time, Daniel had taken it upon himself to keep his friend informed about the situation on Earth.

"Nah," he shrugged casually. "Just that its time. I have to remain here for a while and, though Ama-Terasu and her people know that there is a reason to keep me hidden, sooner or later someone who shouldn't know about me will find me."

"Jacob?"

"And Marty. And Anise-or is that Freya?" he shuddered. "Not that it matters, I really don't like that woman. Or her snake."

"She doesn't seem that friendly towards us either," Daniel conceded. "Hear what she did to Kawalsky's team?"

"Yeah, something about alien armbands. They enhanced their strength," he trailed off, not really sure about the details. When that had happened, he'd been helping Brunhilde liberate a squadron of ships from the replicators.

Daniel nodded, "it gave them some kind of virus that strengthened them. Unfortunately, it blinded them and made them act before thinking about the consequences of their actions. The armbands seem to inhibit the brain's natural ability to think clearly. When the virus ran its course, the bands fell off. Sara nearly murdered Anise when she found out how close she'd come to losing Charlie."

"Who stopped her? And why bother?" he muttered. Suddenly, he tensed. There was a tingle in his body that quickly became a tremor. It was the presence of another of his kind. One he vaguely recognized, who was quickly coming their way. Flinging himself backward, he barely missed being hit by the knife that now hung, vibrating in the wall.

"Reflexes still as quick as ever. I shall enjoy taking your life, old man."

Brown eyes flashed liquid fire. The voice he knew from years-about three thousand years, if one wanted to be accurate-ago. "Zantini," he coolly greeted his old pupil. Still, as he looked upon the woman, there was something different about her.

Daniel gasped from his position of refuge. A razor sharp, jagged scar marred the face's left side, a mark the bearer seemed to want to keep around to sicken its opponent. Sandy dark hair hung to mid-back length in shiny, thick braids. A thin chain encircled the neck-where another scar was nestled in the corded muscles. Eyes of flinty green never left Jack, "heard you'd gone into hiding. Also heard you've lost your touch. And your bloodlust."

"What have I told you of such rumors? You are still such a child," he mocked. "Those voices in your head must get a real workout with you."

Daniel continued his study as the two engaged in a little pre-battle duel of words. Like battles of old when armies met to taunt the other side, it seemed that they weren't just tales. Both opponents were trying to heighten tension, bring the other side out into a vulnerable position. He'd often wondered why Jack had always done so, figuring it was just his way to keep the attention focused on himself.

It seemed it went deeper than just his own sense of who needs to bear the brunt of torture. His study stopped on the figure, startled. The left breast was missing. "Amazon?" he questioned softly, hardly daring to believe it.

Zantini flicked a contemptuous look his way, not even deigning to answer. Suddenly, she swung out with her sword but Jack countered with a smooth move of his own. Swords flashed, sound echoed in the small room. Each clash of steel on steel raised the temperature on the blades themselves until they sent off sparks of light.

Daniel was thankful that the Tok'Ra had consented to allow Jack a door. It spared him the worry of thinking about how Jack would explain this.

Worry that rose with each moment of battle as neither warrior seemed to gain an inch.

From his own experience, he knew just how trained Jack was. So, how long had Zantini worked to be his equal? If not greater due to her own warrior heritage? Could it be true? Had Jack actually taught her how to fight? May be even give her the key to his own downfall?

The show had said that when an immortal met a pre-immortal, they took them under their wings and showed them how to survive. How many of those that Jack taught now sought his head? How many would be like this Zantini and stand their ground against him?

The colonel held back, keeping a careful watch and judged her skill. Zantini was like him. A perfectionist. Like him, she held back. But that wasn't what bothered him. There was something else. She had changed her style somewhat, her fighting was definitely off this day. Not that it wasn't excellent, she was too much of a born swordsperson to be any less than she was. Still, there was an oddness to her fighting.

It was closer to someone else's…

_This could go on for an eternity_, he idly thought. _Oh, well. It's not like I have anything better to do_, he laughed to himself. Both froze and turned as one towards the door, feeling the possible threat just outside.

"Later," Zantini saluted. Using a device they'd only seen once before, she disappeared as the door opened.

"M'Botu!" Jack exclaimed in relief as the tall, dark man entered. Dropping the sword, he embraced the man joyfully, after bowing in homage to his position. The African shaman returned the fond greeting, his deep hazel eyes warming as he studied the other man. His light brown hair showed some age at the edges, but other than that, he looked the same to the immortal. "What are you doing here of all places?"

"Warning you, old friend." His voice was low and melodious, speaking of warm nights in an oasis in the desert. Large hands wiped a bit of the sweat from his friend's brow, studying the liquid with a deep frown. Moving back from the smaller man, the shaman went to study the knife. Though they had only recently met on the small planet of Ndongo, they had formed a tight friendship.

M'Botu had known from first glance what Jack was. Some of their people had been touched by the curse, including the love of the shaman's life. Jack found himself to be one of M'Botu's devoted students. They had been taken sometime in the seventeenth century from their ancestral home in what was now present day Angola, after their Ngola, Nzingha had died. Hence, they had taken upon themselves the name of their great ruler.

"Slightly to late for that, as you can see," he wryly replied. "Zantini just left."

"Not from your wayward Amazonian student, from that which resides in your own mind."

Instantly, Jack's hand went to his neck. "Why?"

"I do not know why the Lady Ama-Terasu does not free you but Canaan is well. The symbiote should have left your body ages ago. I fear that her time with Lord Yu has resulted in a subtle poisoning of her own character. If you do not rid yourself of him, he will soon begin to feed off of your essence. He will become worse than the Goa'uld."

M'Botu's proclamation was met with stunned silence.

Jack stood frozen in the middle of the room, unable to grasp the implications of the deceptions that had been perpetrated upon him. All he could think about was the fact that someone he considered an ally, had betrayed him. And one he really liked.

"Jack?" Daniel's hesitant voice broke in. Once more, his friend served as the link back to the known world.

"Daniel." He turned to his friend in relief, almost reaching out. He stopped, knowing he couldn't hug Daniel for comfort anymore. All Daniel could do was stand there, arms wrapped around his waist, exuding a sense of confusion and comfort. Dredging up an uncertain smile for Daniel, he introduced them. "This is the great shaman and seer of the N'Zingha people, M'Botu. M'Botu, this is the triple PhD-though he will only admit to two-recently ascended being, Dr. Daniel Jackson."

The man bowed respectfully to him, before seating himself. "It is an honor to meet you, Dr. Jackson. I have heard much of your work."

"The honor is mine, though I know nothing of your own great acts." He returned the bow with a smile of pleasure. A familiar, irritated tickle twitched in the back of his mind and he sighed with regret. "I must go. Jack, be careful."

"You to," he watched him go, a worried frown creasing his brow.

"Is he the one that caused the wound in your soul?" he gently asked.

Jack sighed and nodded, then resolutely shrugged off the situation. "What am I to do with this thing? The Asgard don't want me around for fear of exposure. And the Nox will refuse to help free me because the symbiote has a right to its own life. Without the Tok'Ra's aid, I will not be able to free myself from it."

The dark man nodded understandingly, staring contemplatively at his friend. Jack remained silent, knowing that to rush a shaman was to risk the wrath of the unknown. Watching him, he missed that life where answers could be sought and attained through intuition. When the answer was clear, not cloudy with logistics and morals.

"Come," he decided. "I know of one who may help you."

"First, I must change myself. It would not do to be seen like this out there." Jack gestured to himself, knowing that M'Botu understood. Standing in front of the mirror, he studied his reflection for a moment before nodding his head. He knew what must be done.

First, he locked Canaan away in the darkest part of his mind, completely cutting him off from everything. Though he did not fear exposure, it was best to be sure.

Letting his power gather, he focused first on bringing himself down to a man of smaller stature-starting with the hands and ending with his feet. Moving his shorter fingers through his hair, he gently pulled the strands, causing it to grow and darken. Pausing, he contemplated his tanned skin and darkened it to almost the exact shade of M'Botu's. "Well?" he asked, moderating his voice from tenor to a higher register baritone.

"That is truly miraculous-and scary the way you do that, young one," The sound of faux awe in the cultured voice caused the newly changed Jack to wince at his own ego. M'Botu laughed, gently clasping his shoulder and squeezing. "Let's be off." With a smile, he became a golden hawk and flew out into the cavernous hallway of the underground hide out. The surface was his goal.

"Show off," he muttered ruefully with a smile of his own. He should have known better than to try to impress M'Botu. Like many shamans, he was born to take shape and craft forms from nothing.

Canaan knew something had changed. The absolute lack of anything unnerved him. And though he rattled against his cage, he could not seem to bend nor break it. He had wondered when his host would figure out that something was not quite right with the situation. But he never expected this to be the result of the deception.

This O'Neill-this Tua'ri-was different from the others, from Kioshe. It had not escaped his attention the man was sought after-and not by anything good. They all seemed to want him harm and fought in the most barbaric of manners. It distressed him that he could not figure out why. He could figure nothing out about him, save for his strange vitality and the power that hummed through him, quicksilver fast and as elusive as moon glow.

And he had tried.

For his mother's sake, he had tried to truly blend with O'Neill. But there was an enormous amount of control to the man and it wasn't to be. The Tua'ri tolerated his presence, because he respected his mother and had loved his former host, but he would allow no further intimacies. Thus, his mother's desires were thwarted.

Sighing, he was resolved to wait.

Following M'Botu, they came to a narrow crevice above ground and far from the Tok'Ra's dwelling place. The bird circled for a moment before alighting on the lone tree. Its yellow eyes stared at him unblinkingly as he approached. Sitting on the ground, he closed his eyes and waited.

Shadows lengthened on the ground as the sun slunk lower into the horizon. In the distance, one blue moon rose and cast an eerie glow about the land. Off into the background, the sea tide hastened its pace, signaling the presence of yet another moon. Winds picked up and died down, scattering the yellowish-pink sand.

Heat cooled into a harsh coldness that stung Jack's exposed skin. Animals scurried around and sought sanctuary in the caves and burrows of the land. The ground trembled in agony as something jarred the age-old solidity of land.

Yet, he remained still as a stone statue.

M'Botu watched him before changing. He had sensed the readiness of the man. Knowing it was time for answers to be granted. Gathering some things, he worked for a moment, then sat across from him. A roaring fire blazed to life between them as Jack slowly returned to awareness. "Gaze." The soft, accented voice spoke before he chanted, tossing a few sprigs of something into the fire.

The reddish flames glowed a deep azure blue. "Seek," he instructed in that same, soft, comforting voice. Again, something was fed to the flames.

From the heatless azure, it became a warm but chilly white. "Question," he counseled, drawing his red robe around him. Rising majestically to his feet, he moved behind the sitting man. In his hand, a carved gourd rested.

Leaning forward, he whispered, "drink and receive answers," then he was gone.

Hypnotized by the flames and the drink, he vaguely heard him but said nothing. For it was not the time for courtesies. It was time for him to reawaken from slumber. The eyes that had been a light gray darkened to a black as they gazed down forgotten paths in search of answers.

Fragments of memories shifted to the surface of his mind. Ordering themselves in prominence and offering a hazy feeling of comfort to him.

So focused on his path, he almost missed the Pythia's arrival. Veiled in red and orange, with copper coins framing the border around her face, a sharp contrast with her dark hair. She stood, dressed in a medium yellow shift overlaying another dress of deep hued red. Gazing at him, a soft sheen of sweat on her Mediterranean skin, she waited patiently for him to address her.

Though he no longer believed in Apollo, the Far Worker-for, like Chronus, he would be nothing more than a false god, he held a great deal of respect for this still faithful servant of his. Pain had come to her through her god, yet she still honored his name. And, though limited as a Pythia and denied by the restricted view of Greek culture towards women, she traveled the true spirit paths and knew of things unseen, as many shaman do.

"Cassandra, Trojan Princess and High Priestess of Apollo," he greeted. "I come to you for aid."

She smiled softly, "I well know of your need, old friend. You have changed much since last I saw you, Aeolaus of Antiparra."

"Such is my lot in life, my lady."

"Ask, believe what I say." There was a faint challenge there. Cursed it was to be a seer from the land of Troy, for she lived while it lay in ruins. Rare was it to find one who believed that she spoke the truth.

Aeolaus thought, for him it would be no burden to believe but…Pythias had a way of speaking in rhymes and riddles. Something that had always irritated him for they were cryptic and obscure. _Daniel_, he thought, _I could surely use your help_.

_You rarely ask for my help, Jack. But I'm here and will do my best_, the voice of his friend comforted him.

"Lady Cassandra, there is a symbiote within that is trying to become one with me."

"If it does so, it will be as M'Botu fears. This Canaan will become worse than a Goa'uld, both in manner and power." She kneeled down and inhaled the flames, breathing in the rare essences that allowed the spirit to transcend the physical. Bronze skin paled. Gray eyes widened in terror. "Flee from this place, Aeolaus! Danger from your past lurks behind even as a shining sword descends overhead!"

Jerking to consciousness as she thrust him out, he blinked disjointedly and looked around, forcing himself to think. Weakened from breathing the fumes, from seeing into the ether realm, and the drink that allowed him to see with new eyes, he rose to his feet and stumbled away. The fire dimmed to nothingness, leaving only a trace of its presence behind him. The weight of energy loss hung heavily and he stumbled along the way, barely remaining on his feet before he was forced to crawl towards the only place that might offer safety.

Up on the mountain of the Weeping Woman, a Temple to the Buffalo Woman rested.

Or, more accurately, the Plains Indians' sanctuary that had lived here once for they had no temples. All the world was a sacred place for them. The circular tents that connected to make one large meetinghouse flapped in the gentle breed. He tried to quicken his pace, feeling the omnipresent danger surround him.

"Ah, how the mighty have fallen." A voice from his nightmares taunted him.

Rolling over, he saw the face. The familiar scar. The wild hair. It was the man he never wished to see again.

"Murdock," he stated, knowing now that it hadn't been Zantini he'd fought earlier. The style had been too flirty, to game-like. Almost testing him. Zantini had always been a forceful, determined challenger.

"MacGyver," he greeted with a tight smile. "It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," he retorted, to tired too struggle to his feet. His mind sluggishly held to the dream paths, refusing to greet the all to present danger.

But Murdock didn't seem to mind as he strolled around, studying him. "I used to wonder about you, how I could feel so connected to you. Imagine my surprise to find out just how much we have in common. Finding myself an immortal and you as well. Both of us with our own unique ability to modify our appearance. I with my paints, you with whatever it is you use. Would you have been my teacher had we been on the same side?"

"Probably not, Murdock," he ground out. "It was only because we were enemies that we met."

"You surprise me with your lack of imagination, MacGyver. Though I suppose I should call you Jack, but this isn't the face I associate with that name. Two such people as ourselves were destined to meet," he clucked his tongue.

Tossing a canteen down to him, he waited for the doubtful glance he knew would come. "Oh, really, MacGyver. Your suspicion wounds me and is most unnecessary. If it was your death I sought, I would have done so while you sat so calmly before the fire."

"You'll forgive me for my skepticism," he made no move to accept it. While part of him accepted the logic of Murdock's words, the deep-seated mistrust would not.

"Drink. Poison isn't my way, you know, it's to impersonal. Besides, it wouldn't kill you anyway, at least not permanently. Come now, drink up. I want a proper duel with you," he encouraged him. Reluctantly, Mac picked up the canteen. "I think I deserve one after all my troubles locating you. Do you have any idea what I have gone through to find you?"

It paused halfway to his lips, a horrible thought crossing his mind. MacGyver stared at him and his voice was harsh as the words forced themselves past a clogging throat. "What did you do?"

Murdock laughed mockingly, leaning back against the rocky wall of the mountain. "Must you ask? Where's that fabled mind of yours gone to, MacGyver? You know me, what do you think I did?"

Rage flowed into him, pushing the lethargy back and pumping strength into his tired limbs. The dullness fled his mind as he leapt to his feet. "You found them."

"Every single one of your protégés? Oh, yes. Well, all the ones the Watcher's Council had found and kept an eye on. I found it to be a most…useful organization. Although, they do not seem to realize that you are still alive," he mused reflectively. "It was not nice of you to keep so many secrets from me."

He met the cold eyes squarely. "We are not friends, Murdock." He stated, tossing aside the canteen.

"Not friends, no. But we do share a kinship, bearing talents that the world at large needs but find despicable in the light of day. You know what I mean." His voice lowered seductively as he started to approach him.

MacGyver backed away, warily watching the other man.

"Under other circumstances, we would be brothers in arms. As it is, now I am your darkness. Your deepest, basest desires. I do all the things that you have done but have become to inured to the temptation, the pleasure it offers you." Leaning closer, he whispered in his ear, watching the eyes go slightly hazy. "I've seen your work. Utterly depraved and utterly magnificent.

"That little band of four you traveled with, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I believe you called yourselves, did what my old organization tried to do. And you did it well. Really, MacGyver, I find myself simply swimming in envy. In you, I have found my equal. Together, we could be unstoppable. Just think about it, you and I going about the universe, doling out punishments and gifts as we saw fit. With your gifts and my talent, we could go far."

_Jack_! A voice hollered in his mind, cutting through the words being spoken to him. The immortal leapt back, shaking himself out of the web Murdock wove around him. Strands of ideas clung to him though, tempting him to return to an easier life. "That was a long time ago, Murdock. I was a different person then. And I feel no pride in what I once was."

"But you should, you should take pride in such well done work. Honestly, the depths of your creative wantonness delights me to no end. No wonder I find myself endlessly fascinated by you."

"Times were different," he excused himself weakly, moving away from the temptation.

"I've no doubt they were," he soothed mockingly, following him. "But they were times that sung of bloodlust-and life. Why, with our combined talents, we could eliminate all comers."

"Leaving only you and I to share the title of the one?" he sarcastically asked.

"Why not?" he waved carelessly. "Of us all, only you and I deserve it. Come now, MacGyver, you can't look at me and tell me that it wouldn't be fun. To once again be what you truly are? A warrior of destruction. An emissary of glorious death."

The question hung in the still air for a moment, trembling under the weight of Murdock's scrutiny.

Knowing that he could not lie to this man, for he saw him all to clearly, he let the question remain unanswered and idle. Shrugging it off, MacGyver lunged at the man. "There is no justification for such actions, Murdock. Now or Ever!"

His statement hung precariously between them before the swords clashed. The familiar thrill of battle in the open, with only a sword in his hand for protection, filled MacGyver and lent him more strength to meet the challenge.

A wicked grin flashed across Murdock's face, a joyful cry escaping his lips. Eyes alive with exaltation, he fully engaged in battle. Words fell by the wayside and were forgotten in the heat of the exchanged blows. The second moon rose in the night sky, closer to the terra firma and illuminated the combatants.

Up the slope and closer to the sanctuary they battled. MacGyver felt the familiar warning jolt as they approached. Forcing Murdock to fall back, he reoriented himself on the uneven field, balancing tenuously on his feet. Startled to feel the downward slope, Murdock swung out wildly. The strength of the blow caught the unbalanced man unaware and he teetered for a moment before falling into the ravine below.

A familiar crack rent the air and MacGyver closed his eyes as wave upon wave crashed through his body. Pulling in on himself, he tried to stem the tide and roll off the jagged rocks. Murdock swung down to the ground, blade raised in triumph.

Canaan felt the grip loosen and was shoved out of his confinement. Looking out through his host's narrowed eyes, he saw the danger. Exerting all his strength, he took control of the paralyzed limbs and swung the sword up. With extra potency, he forced the other blade to go flying.

Murdoc's eyes narrowed as he studied the new creature before him. Speaking derisive words that both host and symbiote were to tired to translate, he gave a mocking bow and left. Canaan watched him go, before trying to struggle to his feet.

Giving up after a useless battle, he lay there, panting. An odd sensation filled the body, the restless energy that had bothered him, pulsed to vibrant life and flowed through and around the body in a series of waves. Confused and scared, he sought the mind that had been blocked to him for so long.

More shocking than lightening.

More deafening than thunder.

More powerful than naquada.

Entering that mind blew every preconceived and conceived notion ever held to pieces.

Histories, passions, convictions, beliefs, filled his mind and left him shattered. Shying away from it became impossible as it sought him out and remade him. The pain became to great and he fell into unconsciousness.

Opening eyes to a new world, Canaan rose to his feet. Stumbling into the sanctuary, he followed the sound of water to its source, thirst conquering his need to establish contact with the Tok'Ra for a while. It also took precedence over the fire in his face.

Cupping his hands, he filled them with the sweet, cold water and drank until he was sated. Leaning over, he studied the face curiously. Though it was burned from exposure, it was not the same face he'd seen before leaving Kioshe.

With new eyes, he recognized what he had. A new confidence filled him and he felt for the power in his veins. Almost casually, he returned face and form to the one he knew. Doing so left him winded and a little weak, but amazed when the pains and burns left.

A thought occurred to him, a tempting one. One that wouldn't let him be. _In this body, I can do anything I please. I can be anyone I please_.

On that thought, he went to the Stargate and dialed an address. The familiar sound of the gate powering up filled the air, even as a sense of pride filled him. Inside, a feeling of cockiness grew and he stared at the event horizon, a smirk on his face.

Giving a jaunty wave to the empty, barren land, he entered the gate. Propelled across the galaxy, he quietly exited on a darkened planet. Only one thought was in his mind-Shaylin.

End, Act 13.

Author's Note #1: Nzingha was a real queen of the Mbundu people in what is now present day Angola during the late 16th-early 17th centuries. She was the first female ruler of the tribe. Her younger sister was queen after her. Naming the planet Ndongo was a tribute to Angola's old name. Ngola is leader.

#2: As for Jack being MacGyver, that surprised me. I wasn't planning on doing that at all. It just happened. I decided, since it is a thing in fandom for Jack to have a brother that he be named MacGyver-and Jack took that name when he decided to serve in Vietnam.

#3: But because Immortals can't have kids, Sean does not exist. Unfortunately, I may have totally misrepresented Murdock. sigh Our cable company has to much fun moving the show about and I have really only seen two or three episodes with him in it.

#4: This also applies with the Highlander show, except with that show, it was just the basic channels. And they like to play it at four or five in the morning. I did not know they had a whole arc dealing with the horsemen and killed all of them-except Methos-off. In my world, this did not happen at all because it just wouldn't work.

So, hopefully any errors can be forgiven.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Daniel hurried to the place where Jack had been, feeling dread. It had been a week since he'd rescued Jack from Murdock's seductive words. A week in which there had been none of the familiar touch of his friend upon his soul.

Something was dreadfully wrong.

"Where do you go in such a hurry, Daniel?" Escal asked. The Eurasian woman had befriended him a few weeks after his arrival among the ascendeds. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose bun and her dark eyes smiled at him warmly, though they were heavy with concern for him. His continual refusal to cut all ties with his old life was starting to affect the balance in their existence.

But, more to the point, it was starting to take its toll on the young man. Once vibrant blue eyes looked haggard and drawn. The white outfit he wore only emphasized his loss of color and weight. In mortal terms, he had the appearance of one who is sick.

"To Jack," he answered shortly. "Something's wrong."

She sighed, "Daniel, you must travel on from such Earthly concerns. To live in the past is to never move forward to one's higher purpose."

"And to ignore one's past is often to invite tragedy and woe," he retorted. "For is not the reason we seek to study the past so that we may better our own future?"

"How does rushing to your friend's side benefit you in some way?" she asked.

"I have felt like this once before. In ignoring my feelings, I left Jack and my friends exposed to great danger. They nearly died due to my heedlessness," he replied. "I cannot and will not let this be a repeat of such a mistake."

"Even if you can do nothing to help him?" Unlike others of her race, she was deeply intrigued by the mortals who traversed their gates. She cared for their welfare and wished to do something-but not at the risk of her own peace. That Daniel was willing to do so caused much worry among the Elders.

The question was left floating between them, unanswered as Daniel disappeared.

Upon arriving at the Weeping Woman, he searched the grounds. This was where Jack had been, he had seen it for a moment through his friend's dark eyes. Now, there were signs of the struggle with Murdock-but nothing remained to show what had happened to the combatants.

Knowing little of sword fighting, he could not be sure of this assumption, but he felt that there should be _some_ sign of their clash.

Moving down to where he had seen them before, he slowly walked up the incline. Still, he found no trace of them. Close to giving up, he decided to walk towards the enclosure on the mountaintop. That was when his eye saw some movement. Jack emerged from the sanctuary and he felt a deep relief-until he caught sight of the brown eyes.

Gulping back his voice, he could only stare in horror at the look of another being staring out through Jack's eyes. A slow feeling of fear gripped him in its icy embrace for once again he had lost his friend to another. If only Oma hadn't pulled him away at the critical moment he could've done something.

Despair clouding his mind, he had enough sense to follow him.

That's when he saw another figure following closely after Jack.

It was that man from the fight.

Murdock.

The scarred man Jack feared on some level that Daniel couldn't begin to comprehend. He had called Jack MacGyver. And seemed quite deliriously happy to find him alive and well.

What was going on here? Daniel wondered, keeping an eye on him.

The Stargate whooshed to life and Jack-now Canaan, walked through. Behind him, Murdock studied the coordinates and waited. Daniel felt no such need and passed through the event horizon. He supposed he could've taken another way but this _was_ his home.

They emerged on another planet and Daniel realized with dismay where they where. He couldn't believe that Canaan had come here. What was he going to do to Jack?

"You should not be here," Oma pulled him away. "There is nothing to be done but leave them to their fate."

Daniel couldn't get his mouth to work to protest her highhandedness. But the blue eyes that turned to her were wide with anguish and panic, more effective than words. Only he knew what awaited Jack for he remembered well his time as a captive. He was a veteran of Goa'uld persecution. How could she ask him to leave his friend to such a fate?

Though greatly disturbed by the look, Oma hardened her heart against him. The sooner this young man learned to accept his path, the happier he would be. The safer he would be as well, she thought. The Elders were not pleased with him, the latest addition to their number.

Daniel Jackson disturbed them greatly.

Escal watched this act of betrayal, her heart in her throat. Daniel's agony was a palpable force to those who were in tune. "Oma, Daniel's friend is in danger and he has the blood of one of our own. How can we ignore him?" she tentatively reached out a hand to help her friend. Daniel was so young. To young for this…detachment that ruled their lives. In time, he may come to accept their wisdom as his own. But for now, it was terribly wrong to enforce it for he knew not the reasons behind it.

"Seraph ignored our laws and chose a path that lead to this. He is not one of us. Nor is he truly one of the Furlings. They will not help him. Nor shall we," she stated firmly.

The other woman watched Daniel, shaking her head. "He will not allow him to go through such agony alone. How can you think it wise to ignore the wisdom from one such as he?"

"He is an untried pot," Oma said.

"But even an untried pot may prove to be of finer worth when first used after removal from the kiln."

Oma pondered that for a moment. "Daniel, you may comfort Colonel O'Neill. Do nothing more than that. I shall be watching."

6

Jack blinked and looked about the room, noting the web shaped thing seconds before he flew at it. Extending his still numbed senses, he felt the distinct lack of the symbiote within. Either Canaan had left him. Or he had learned to secrete himself in Jack's mind so completely that Jack himself couldn't discover his whereabouts.

_This could be complicated_, he thought as he turned around and stared at the dark man who approached the dais.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Ba'al." He stated, with no arrogance or pride.

Typically, Jack hid behind a snarky comment-and watched as his life disappeared in a round of torture the likes of which he hadn't experienced in four thousand years. Ba'al was almost as good as that false god had been.

Only in the cell, with Daniel as his only witness, did the walls came crashing down around him, leaving him exposed and raw for his friend to see. Only Daniel saw the growing desolation that threatened to destroy him.

Only his _anam cara_ was witness to the sheer despondency that finally killed his hope. For of all he knew, it was only Daniel who could see him thus. He _trusted_ Daniel so much, it frightened him-especially at times like this. Yet, he could not live without this confidence in his friend.

At first, he had blustered and yelled. Putting on a brave face. After all, he had been in worse situations. Something would give and he'd be able to figure something out. But one can only escape seeing the truth for so long.

And for Jack that moment came crashing down on his psyche after the two hundred and fiftieth time in the sarcophagus.

He had been taken somewhere that no one would find him. In a fortress of scientific ingenuity and old-fashioned stone, he was held captive.

Imprisoned by a god who knew ways of torture, there would be no getting away from this one.

Only one route was open to him-his friend, Daniel.

So, he tried to cajole his friend into helping him escape. Though, he would refrain from pulling any personal blows to do so. But Daniel had resisted and he was finally forced to beg his friend to help him die.

To keep him from being revived in the sarcophagus.

Looking over at Daniel, he said in a voice he did not recognize as his own. "It'll never be over." The weight of hopelessness had taken away his strength, his hope, leaving him an empty shell of nothing.

Finally, he tried to blackmail him into helping. Asking him to consider the life of the woman he'd come to save. If he was not enough to persuade his friend to free him, then may be the life on an innocent was.

"If you don't end this, I'll tell Ba'al what he wants to know. About why Canaan returned."

"What?" Daniel asked. "Why?"

"That he loved her," Jack told him. "If you don't end this, I'll tell him. And he'll do to her what he's done to me."

Daniel stared at his friend, unable to believe the words issuing forth from his friend's mouth. But the dead eyes that met his own were somber. And he recalled something he'd once used to prove something to another reality Jack that he knew him.

Eerily reminiscent of something that had happened in Iraq, something he swore never to do again if given the choice.

Yet, here he sat. About to offer another's life in exchange for his own-only he was seeking death this time. "You won't have to, Jack. Your journey's not finished yet."

"What?" he asked by rote, knowing it was expected but not expecting anything.

"Rescue's on the way," he slightly smiled.

Jack's head turned and he looked. Really looked and saw Daniel's eyes. This wasn't a cruel hoax. "What did you do?"

He shrugged, denying any part in this escape. "I didn't do anything. Somehow, word of this place and Ba'al's experiments got leaked to the System Lords." Both men looked up when the lights flickered above them briefly. "This is it. All you wanted was a fighting chance and now you have it. If anyone can get out of here, it's you." He left Jack alone then, knowing his friend would need to concentrate.

Before leaving the cell, Jack whispered a thanks. For all his protests that he had done nothing, Jack knew Daniel. This was solely _his_ doing. Only one guard opposed him and he fled, dragging Shaylin with him.

Under the cover of whichever Goa'uld Lord was attacking, they reached the gate and Jack dialed a safe planet. One away from Ama-Terasu and her deceiving ways for he could not go back and face her knowing of her depravity. Passing through, neither noticed the figure following them.

"Interesting," he fingered the plastic container in his pocket. "She is not one of us, so why go through all this trouble, MacGyver? Could it possibly have anything to do with this little creature?" He whispered into the cold air before following them.

Inside, a symbiote restlessly moved about in the life preserving liquid stolen from one of the shrines inside the fortress. After escaping from O'Neill's body, he had been captured by this strange man. Kept in the darkness of the cloth, he had no idea what was going on but he could hear well and knew that Shaylin and Jack were safe. For that, he was grateful.

6

Daniel left Jack, shaken by their close call.

"You know, Dr. Jackson, I really expected better of you." A voice spoke from somewhere beside him. "After all that has been spoken of you, I would never have guessed that you could be so…timid when a loved one is in mortal danger."

Turning, Daniel saw someone standing just beyond his ability to clearly see no matter which way he turned. "You aren't one of Oma's people," he stated. That he knew for sure, the feel of this being was different.

"Oh, spare me talk of Oma and her kind. They are all a bunch of practitioners who will never become what they need to be for they live in fear of their potential. Sad, isn't it?"

"Then you aren't one of the Others?"

The being laughed, appearing in front of him in a flash of light. Daniel blinked away the dots dancing in front of his eyes. "I'm Q." He said in the voice of one accustomed to being known instantly by name alone.

"Q? Like in "_Star Trek_"?"

"Not quite, though I do adore the way that actor-John de Lancie?-portrays me. We are rarely bothered by that pesky thing you call morals and he captured that perfectly. We do what we want, when we want, and, unless it violates our own ambiguous law code, don't care what happens because of us."

"Gluttons of the galaxy," he muttered.

"Oh, _ouch_. That really hurt," he mock pouted. "Come with me, Dr. Jackson. Let me show you what are truly capable of doing. And being. Observation is nice, but you are like me-a visceral person. You need to help out-no matter what might happen in the end because you feel along with these beings. So, what do you say?"

Daniel studied the dark, earnest eyes. The Q was a slender, tall being with thinning dark hair. Was this an illusion? "As tempting as that sounds, I must refuse."

"You must," he sighed, eyes twinkling. "But I will see you again, Daniel. You are to good for this duplicity." And with that, the being was gone.

"Daniel, what have you done?" Oma asked.

He answered her not.

If she knew him as well as she claimed to, she should know. Anyone else would've known and not bothered to ask such a question. Besides, it was _because_ of her that he'd been forced to watch Jack as he suffered. Her hypocrisy, as Jack would call it, would have him remain visibly unmoved in the face of his pain.

Pain Jack would've stopped had they been in each other's shoes.

Q was correct. He _was_ better than this quivering coward.

Oma sighed, "Daniel. You are still so young. Stay away from Q."

He didn't reply. Already, a desire for more filled his soul. That they stand back and do nothing dissatisfied him. It was not his way. It had never been his way. How could he have thought that this was better than what he'd had before? At least then he had been standing up and _doing_ something.

It might not have been much and rarely acknowledged, but it was something more than _this_ _observing_.

6

"Where are we?" Shaylin asked as they emerged into the dark interior of a room.

"Abydos," Jack replied. Leaning heavily against an unmarked wall, he removed a small device from his pocket. "Thor, buddy. It's me."

"O'Neill. When we lost contact with you, we were worried. What happened to you?"

He was about to respond when a familiar figure emerged from the gate and it shut down, leaving them in darkness. "Why are you here, Murdock?" The chill in his voice drew Shaylin to him, alerted to the danger of the new arrival.

In his hand, Thor's image glowed and illuminated the room just a little. Knowing of this man, he remained silent, even as his powerful mind set a course to Abydos.

"Hello, MacGyver. I've brought an old friend of yours," he replied. "It was rather bad manners to let him leave you so soon into what I assume was a most interesting partnership."

Brown eyes closed as pain assailed him. Reaching out, he tapped into the wellspring of Earth under his feet, he held himself together-barely. "What do you want?"

"Am I hearing an echo of a previous conversation?" he mocked. "I do believe that we've had this tête-à-tête before. Do try to keep up with me, I haven't changed that much."

"An honest duel," he ground out. "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Well, no. Actually, I'm still interested in making of you my partner," he sighed. "But you seem to be set against that rather virulently, so I will settle for a fight-without outside interference." He started to put the container down-when they were all caught up in a beam and appeared in the ship, _Fenrir_.

"Good evening, Murdock. O'Neill. And this young woman," Thor greeted them.

"Shaylin. Canaan knows," Jack muttered, finally letting his grip slip and he fell into a lifeless heap, the communicator rolling out of his grip to rest against the wall.

"Rest now, O'Neill. I will deal with these three." Thor held out his hand imperiously and Murdock passed the container with the symbiote inside over to him in shock. "Murdock, please, take O'Neill down the hall to his quarters. There, he shall sleep in peace. You will find that you are unable to do him any harm while here. Allow him sometime to recover from the damage done to him."

Saying nothing, the assassin did as asked by the Asgard. Though he had found much in his search of the galaxy, this alien was new to him. He had to process this new information before acting.

"Come, Miss. Shaylin," Thor guided her along to some other place.

"Is it true? What he says? Does Canaan yet live?" She asked the questions rapidly, not paying attention to the path they walked. Later, she would recall the experience and ponder it. Now, all she cared about was Canaan.

"He resides in here," Thor offered.

"May I see him?"

"I am afraid that until I have retrieved the knowledge that he has stolen from O'Neill, that would be unwise." Pondering the problem of how to extract the information without damaging the symbiote to much, he came to the conclusion that there was only one who would willingly help him out-Heimdhal. Thor turned to face her once they had reached another room. "You may stay in this room while we travel to a Tok'Ra planet. It will be far away enough from O'Neill and Murdock that they will not disturb your rest. From this place, only you may decide what you wish to do."

"I wish to continue Canaan's work."

"Then they shall be the best ones to help you out for that is what they do," Thor informed her gravely. "Rest now, Miss. Shaylin, I must set us on a new course before we are noticed by the System Lords. I will not repay O'Neill and Doctor Jackson by bringing an invasion down upon a planet they hold dear to their hearts."

Shortly after waking up the first time, Daniel came. They had an…intense conversation as a result of the events in Ba'al's place. Once he'd gone, Jack wearily lay down and closed his eyes, drifting off into painless sleep.

Days later, Jack awoke with a groan. Prying open his eyes, he looked around before rising from the bed. After taking care of his body's needs, he studied himself in the full-length mirror. Oddly pointed ears started forming at the top of his still normal shaped ears. But the pretence was failing.

Badly.

Closing his eyes, he tried to recall what he'd been told to do if this happened. He knew he had to change into something, but what? If he was wrong, he'd be destroyed.

"_Grand-mater, am I really to go to the first world?"_ Emrys asked, full of heedless eagerness.

She laughed, trying to calm the restless child down. "_No, Emrys, you and your cousins are to go to the sister world of the first. You must recall that Atlantis is no longer available for us._"

"_But one day, you will return. Shall we ever see that day_?" Methos asked, looking up from the window.

"_I wouldn't dare to assume that anything isn't possible where you and Emrys are concerned,_" she sighed. "_Now, do you four remember your lessons?_"

"_Of course, magister. When we arrive, we should take a form more like our own until we are acclimated to the world_," Deva scoffed.

Emrys made a gagging noise behind cupped hands and Methos laughed.

"_You two should pay as much attention as Deva,_" Seraph scolded lovingly. "_It will help you when you go to the sister world, this Earth. Alejandro, do you have any questions?_"

"_Are you going with us?_" the shyest one of the four asked.

All opal colored eyes turned to her. This question had been on all their minds, though none had dared give it voice. They waited, almost sick with the tense trepidation inside of them, for her answer.

"_I'm afraid not, little ones. This is a journey that you must take on your own, though I shall be with you in one form or another._"

Emrys and Methos grasped hands, as did Alejandro and Deva. Even though the four were close, they had formed into pairs of two. Somehow, they knew that they would also be separated. Such a thought had never occurred to them, the joy of leaving Tara for a new experience had blinded them certain realities.

"_Emrys, I would like to have a word with you._" Seraph called as the four left the room, walking like shell-shocked soldiers.

"_Yes, Grand-mater."_ Letting go of Methos, Emrys returned to the room.

"_You know that you are to be the warrior, correct?_"

Emrys nodded, eyes cloudy with confusion.

"_I wish that you would do something for me,_" she hesitated before plunging in. "_I wish for you to walk the path of the scholar first and foremost. Since it will be your first life, you shall not forget it. Walk it and…be a woman when you do so._"

"_I don't understand_," Emrys' head shook. "_What does it matter what sex I am? Surely a warrior is a warrior_?"

"_You are so innocent,_" she sighed sadly. "_Mankind is not like we are now, for they are a young race. They will often blinded by their rapidly shifting beliefs, their uncertain passions. There will come a time when strong women are seen as devils-and suffer for it. You must understand women in order to better help them as they wish to be helped. This will not come to you naturally, so I want you to__ learn from first hand experience what it is to be woman, then you may know best how to serve and assist them_."

"_I will do as you wish for you are wiser than I am in matters of the world._" Emrys promised her, leaving the room and Grand-mater. Methos waited in the hall, looking curious. Head shaking in reply to the silent question, Methos left it alone.

Jack sighed and returned to a face and form he hadn't seen in over five thousand years-since first he walked the Earth.

The face of a woman, with a slightly pointed chin and dominant changeling eyes, stared back at the person in the mirror. Dressing in a robe, she left and stopped, eyes wide with disbelief. "Murdock, can't you find an elsewhere to be?"

Murdock studied her, walking around and studying her new look intently. "Interesting choice, MacGyver." His voice drawled, finally stopping his attempts to figure out how such a complete transformation had been accomplished. Whatever power this was, it was something that MacGyver had been born with.

"Get over it, Murdock. The name is Emrys." Pushing by him, she walked down the hall, intent on getting some food.

"Emrys," he mused. His eyes widened, realizing who she claimed to be. "That's a legend."

A tight smile met his disbelief, "you ain't just whistling Dixie, scar face."

Slamming her against the wall, he glared down at her. "Talk."

Using her own weight, she pushed him away. "I don't need to answer to you, Murdock. My life is my own." Emrys retorted, keeping a guarded eye on him. The assassin had survived because he was tricky and she had never quite got a firm grasp on his thinking.

In truth, she shouldn't be doing this kind of physical activity yet.

The sarcophagus' dangerous poisons had yet to wear off and she could _feel_ them flowing within her body with every move she made. What the immortal needed now was rest and time to recover. If she remembered correctly from her last brush with this, a few decades seemed more than reasonable.

Only, she didn't have that kind of time anymore.

Murdock would not allow her.

Nor would the Goa'uld.

Or the other enemies that stalked her now.

If she wasn't careful, the poisons would kill her as surely as Ba'al's torture had. And her own immortality would keep reviving her until the poisons became a part of her.

Or permanently killed her.

"Where should I start?" he mused.

"At the beginning." She didn't trust his sudden reversal of behavior. This accommodating spirit was not what she expected from him. Flippant bellicosity was more likely.

"I died in the collapsed building," he baldly stated. "Do you have any idea of the pain I awoke in? Not only physically but mentally? Every single time I revived?"

"Having died in a cave-in, yes."

"Before or after you knew what you were?" he asked cagily. Silence greeted this question and he shook his head, clucking his tongue a little bit. "Come on, Emrys. Give me something for my soul bearing here."

Eyes narrowed, she finally conceded. "After."

"So, you knew what to expect. I did not. I had no conception of what was going to happen to me. Waking up from death into repeated death-I do believe that I went a little mad from the experience. Why are there no more immortals such as we? Death happens every single day in so many different-sometimes exquisite ways."

"Immortals have a certain recessive gene in them that is triggered by a violent death. Not death itself," she explained shortly. "And not all violent deaths set it off, something else must be in play." Murdock's comfort and general love of death unnerved her because she _knew_ what it was like to have that godlike complex. Having the right and power to decide who lives and who died, it was heady.

And her immortal rival knew it.

"A recessive gene?" he doubtfully questioned her explanation. "All the documentation of the Watcher's Council proclaims that immortals cannot have children. How could those who have studied us for millennia of years be incorrect?"

"They only started studying pre-immortals when they found better ways of identifying them in their incubus state," she smiled thinly. "There was once a time when an immortal in their pre-immortal status wasn't exactly sterile. It is only after the first resurrection occurs that sterility happens. But truly, only those who were in the pre-immortal status two thousand years ago have this capability. A plague struck those born after and rendered them all sterile."

"Why do such a thing? As a form of protection? But from who?" This was interesting, he thought, and quite an accomplishment. Which of Emrys' immortal friends had the capacity and knowledge to create such a thing?

"Alejandro, the man who creates plagues."

"And the why?"

She stonily met his gaze, refusing to be drawn out any further about this. "You would have to ask him. Continue with your story."

"They almost found me then. I barely managed to get out of there with my new life. What would've happened had they caught me?" he asked. It was something he had wondered over the years. "Would the watchers have seen me for what I was? Would they have brought me to you for teaching since you caused my first death?"

"Doubtful. They have a non-interference policy. Most likely, they would've killed you. And I never would've taught you, Murdock, you enjoy death to much." She coldly uttered the words, not flinching away from his knowing gaze.

"To close to what you yourself are?" he softly queried.

Her sword flashed and pinned him against the wall. "Thor, beam us down. This needs to be finished. Now!"

Daniel stood in the shadows, knowing that he shouldn't be there. But he couldn't keep away from his friend. No matter what, Jack _was_ his friend. Though, looking at her now, he couldn't quite keep from feeling a sense of remembrance about her new form.

Knowing that the change was coming had not prepared him for actually seeing it.

"_Sire, we have brought a gift for you from the faraway lands_."

The words startled Daniel. They sounded so close he could almost swear that someone was speaking in his vicinity. Cautiously, he looked about but saw nothing more than the battling immortals.

Eyes intent on the fight, he watched the subtle shift from polished swordsman to sheer barbarity that entered Emrys' fighting. Gone was the concealed strength of the warrior-and yet, a part of her skill remained hidden.

Knocking Murdock to his knees, the sword flashed for a moment and his head came free.

Breathing deeply, she stood back, moving away. Daniel was confused-then lightening flashed from Murdock's body. Hands rising, she cupped the storm before thrusting it firmly from herself and into the ground.

When it cleared, she collapsed onto her knees, sobbing in agony as waves of residual pain hit her. Instantly, he joined her. "What was that?" he asked, once she had ceased to cry.

"That was me diverting a quickening. I have not killed another immortal in a while and I refuse to take the power." Blinking away the last vestiges of tears, she asked him. "What are you doing here?"

"I felt the need to be here. Are you angry with me?"

"No. Just the situation you've found yourself in," she said in resignation. "Thor?"

In answer, she was beamed into the ship. Daniel followed after sparing a glance at the decapitated body. Quickening? "Wait, I thought that you had to take a quickening for the life to truly be over?"

"The Quickening only gives you the essence of the life you've taken and every essence of the lives they've taken. All it does is add to the strength of your own life force," she shrugged. "Not really worth it as far as I'm concerned."

"How did you learn to divert it?"

Her eyes closed in remembrance, "it was a young Tibetan monk about three thousand years ago or so. At one of the worst times of my life, I found myself in Tibet and hid away at a monastery. I haven't thought of him in years," the voice softened as the tale emerged.

_It was an unusually cold night. The snow blanketed the ground in white. Huddled around a fire pit, the monastery's occupants gathered. One of the monks kept looking over at the stranger who had joined them a few months back. Not a word ever left the tight lips and the monk shivered at the sight of the bloodless skin the stranger possessed._

_It seemed to him as though this pale creature had no life. No soul Nothing to look forward to, filled with loathing and hate as he was. Wrapped in a blanket of black, he stared into the vastness of nothing. Hanging in limp strands, yellowish hair fell, masking the face._

_As though feeling the gaze on him for the first time, the strange man looked about and met the eyes of the monk. Eyes of golden brown were dead with an old haunt, one that refused to let him go, locked upon his own eyes._

_Yet, the monk felt pity for this hapless, incongruously capable creature._

_How he himself recognized that despair and hate for he'd felt it often, he with his oddly blue-gray eyes so unlike anyone of his family. He could pass as any young man, until he raised those cursed orbs and looked upon another._

_Then he was ridiculed for his oddity. For his deformity. The only place he had to go was here, to this monastery. Here, he had found a semblance of peace. A semblance of balance. A sense of belonging to something else, though it did nothing to fill the hollow ache within his yearning soul for something more._

_Something seemed to recognize the stranger and wanted to help in anyway he could. They sat there, eyes locked in a bizarre silence, but a comfortable one. A chime started ringing, signaling that bedtime approached._

_Many stirred from their meditation and rose. Gentle conversation drifted around the room as the monks stretched and greeted the end of day. Once the final chime had sounded, they all rose and drifted off to their sleeping quarters_.

_But not the stranger. He remained seated, head bent towards where the young monk had been seated, as though still staring at him._

"_Come, stranger, the night approaches and we should be abed."_

"_I shall stay here and tend the fire, wise child."_

"_Thou wilt catch thy death if thou doest so," he pulled the robe tighter around him. Now that he was no longer meditating, the cold seeped in._

_A harsh laugh escaped the man's lips. "There are worse ways to die."_

"_Please, come inside and rest. There is danger and I fear for thy safety." He rested a hand on the thin, bony shoulder. Having watched the stranger, he was not unaware of the fact that the man was dangerously thin._

_Startled at the touch, the man jumped away. "Do not touch me. It is not a wise thing to do for I am an unholy and unclean demon." The rage in the man startled the youth and he started to pull away, but couldn't for something also held him._

"_No. Whatever else thou art, a demon is not one of them_."

"_So certain, are we, wise child?" he ridiculed._

"_Only of what I know and what I have observed of thee. Thou art not a creature of darkness as thou wouldst claim. No, thou art some other kind of creature," he concluded, drawing close once more to him._

"_How right you are for one so young," he murmured. "I shall be safe enough, young one. Rest your own head and give me no further thought."_

"_Hast thou no one to care what happens to thee?" he asked. "Hast thou no one to care for?"_

"_Inquisitive child, have you nothing else to do with your time than trouble me with your questions?" he harshly asked, turning away_.

_Sitting down, he shook his head. "I have always been an impulsive child and thy sorrow and pain hath touched me for I have felt its touch up my own soul myself."_

"_I find that difficult to believe of one so young," he faced him though._

"_Ah, but thou art a stranger. In my village, I am a half-breed child for my eyes are not human."_

"_They are blue," he conceded. "I see nothing wrong with that."_

"_Thou art a stranger," he reminded him. "And know nothing of our ways. Here, thou canst find peace. Here I have come, for there is no other place that I can claim as home."_

_They sat in silence before the strange man moved and place a piece of his thick blanket around the shivering shoulders. "I am Emrys." He finally introduced himself, allowing the young one in._

"_And I am Adil." He seemed to understand the gift he'd been given and did not press him for information further. The night drifted by as they enjoyed the stillness. Peace hung about them like a mantle and they drank it in thirstily, warmed by the companionship they enjoyed and the physical blanket across their shoulders._

_A week after this meeting, a messenger came to the monastery. Emrys went paler than death with ire and dread as he read the message_.

'_Come out and meet me, old man, or those inside your sanctuary will perish in the flame.'_

_No question about who sent it and why, for Emrys knew who it was. He immediately packed and snuck away while they were all in meditation. This was an old battle and one that he had to win, for everyone's sake._

_Adil watched him leave, following behind at a safe distance. In all the time they spent together, he had come to realize that Emrys had excellent senses. He would not appreciate Adil coming after him._

_Hiding in the shadows, he saw Emrys glance over his shoulder and then step into a clearing, dropping his bag to the side._

"_I was uncertain that you would show up."_

"_You issued the challenge, Hysoko. I do not allow innocents to be caught in the crossfire."_

"_Not since I slaughtered the last village you lived in." He taunted, rushing him. Emrys was ready and met him blow for blow._

_Adil's brow furrowed as he thought of the odd words. Running through the legends he had learned from his mentors, he could find no connection between his friend and challenges. But the furious fight before him, fought with swords kindled something in his memory from an old tale told in the villages._

_A tale of immortal warriors. Warriors who fought each other. Who served and protected the people. The flare of lightening and Emrys' cry of pain cut into his thoughts. Without thought, he rushed towards his friend and tried to pull him away._

_But the fury of the storm and its lightening was to strong. Quickly clearing a space to solid ground, Adil called the storm to him. Channeling the power of it into the palms of his hands, he gathered it all in. Then he thrust it firmly down to be absorbed by the ground._

_Shaking with reaction, he turned to Emrys. Slowly, he walked towards him and collapsed at his side. Adil knew, as did Emrys, that he would be in trouble for using his power in such an obvious manner. He would be driven from the sanctuary._

_He didn't care. Given the chance, he'd do it again._

_The fallen man was ashen but stared at him, wonder on his face. "Why did you?"_

"_It was hurting you."_

"_Teach me," he asked._

"_If I can," he agreed._

End, Act 14.

Author's Note: Can an immortal divert a quickening? Probably not. About immortals and having children, according to the show, they can't. They are born sterile. To me, this doesn't make much sense because how were they born then? One theory is that they just appeared-but then I would imagine that to be hard nowadays. So, I came up with my own theory. Hope that's okay.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

SGC Infirmary.

"Dr. Fraiser? I was told to see you. I'm Nigel Bailey, Professor Fox's assistant," his voice trailed off as he took a look at the redhead before him. Even though her posture screamed military, there was nothing hand's off about the petite beauty before him.

She smiled at the hazel eyed man, surprised that he was more her height than anyone yet to enter Cheyenne Mountain. And the fact that he was cute didn't hurt anything. "Do you have any allergies I should be aware of that aren't on record?"

"Not that I'm aware of-unless fear of danger counts," he stammered.

Janet laughed, but her eyes were kind. "Step this way, Mr. Bailey. And I'll take care of your physical-then over dinner you can tell me about this other allergy you have."

Sam walked away quickly, smiling affectionately. _Another one bites the dust of Janet's charm. How long do you suppose this one will last, Jolinar_?

_I cannot say until I have made further acquaintance with the young man and learn of his reputation. Perhaps we should ask Professor Fox when she arrives. Out of friendly concern, of course_.

_What an excellent idea, Jolinar. I'm so glad to have you around_.

_I am grateful to be of assistance. You have helped me as well_.

6

Teal'c sat on his bed, feeling weaker than he'd ever felt before. This lack of energy, of might, was not something he was used to. It was something he had no defense against. No ability to resist the song of despondency, for he did not understand the source of its strength.

He felt like he had no real purpose anymore, that he had nothing further to offer the cause.

Restless dark eyes surveyed the outside world, never settling for more than a second on anything. It was like they could not stop their restless moving. Even the sight of Ry'ac and the twins did nothing to end his sightless study.

Drey'ac watched him through concerned eyes as she ground the seeds into flour. His troubled air darkened the house. On the table by the bed, a needle sat with the medicine that replaced his symbiote. This new substance, this tritonin, did work much the way the symbiote had. But he seemed to _think_ differently about himself because of it.

She did not know how to help him.

In his own eyes, he seemed to think he was diminished as a man. True, he lacked the strength he used to possess but he could still give the Jaffa a good fight. He outmatched them all. She thought that he was stronger because he no longer depended on the false god's infant form to live.

Did she have the right to question his own perception of himself?

A Jaffa woman supported her husband in all his endeavors. It was what she was raised to do, much as he was raised to support his god. She would hold him up when he needed it. To question his actions was often discouraged.

But he had rebelled against that very upbringing. May she not do the same thing?

The Tua'ri women felt no such compulsion to support their man when they knew they were wrong. From prior experience, she had watched MajorCarter and DoctorFraiser interact with the men. They spoke out if they felt the men were wrong. These men of high position listened and honored their counsel. They even encouraged it, even if it was not always something they wished to hear.

Could she act like them and have Teal'c respond to her positively?

He rose before she came to any conclusions. "I have much to tell you about what I have recently experienced. Many things weigh heavily upon my mind, things that I must speak of though it may bring you much pain."

Putting aside her work, she turned to face him attentively. "I am here, do not fear to unburden your heart to me, Teal'c."

It took him a moment, but he found the words to speak of the experience he had had on the planet. All around him was death and only his hated symbiote provided the key to continuing his and Master Bre'tac's lives.

But he was ashamed that in his visionary new life, it was not his wife whom he'd shared his life with. Instead, it was with the woman who had been a high priestess. Shau'nac, the woman Apophis had originally intended for him to be with. A highborn woman Teal'c had known in his childhood.

Drey'ac knew of this woman. It pained her to hear of his love for this Shau'nac. A Jaffa woman of undeniable beauty and desirability, specifically chosen for temple service because of her looks and her highborn position. Trained in the ways of pleasuring the man she was with, she was much in demand.

Her husband lusted after another.

This was not new to her. He was a healthy, vibrant man. And they were apart more than she liked. She knew that, though he promised to never take another, he may receive his pleasure when it was offered. Still, to find out that this woman, though dead, held such a strong hold over her husband filled her with discomfort.

Shau'nac filled her with an irrational fear and a deep hatred. Somehow, this high priestess had captured his interest when he met her again earlier that year. Through the intervention of Master Bre'tac, she had gone to the SGC and told them that she had been speaking with her symbiote.

That he wanted to help the Tok'Ra in their fight against the Goa'uld. Once he had a host, though, his true intentions had been revealed. He had killed Shau'nac in the same manner that Teal'c's father had been.

If not for the deep pain in his eyes, she would have railed against him. He expected her to reject him, to send him away. "My husband, let not your heart continue to be troubled. For though you strayed, you have remained true to me."

"I was with her in every way, Drey'ac."

"I understand that, Teal'c. You did not need to admit this indiscretion to me and in doing so, it has caused you much pain. That tells me that your love for me still holds. You are a vital man with deep passions." She paused, it hurt that she had not been there for him. But life was not set in stone. "The presence of Shau'nac in your other life is as someone that means something to you. Whether it is because she died in the same manner as your father and you wish to see her alive and happy. Or that you truly loved her, she has a place in your heart."

"And the presence of ColonelO'Neill and DanielJackson?" he whispered, unable to believe that she accepted this so calmly. He knew she was upset with him but she loved him regardless. May be O'Neill was right about talk shows and soap operas being exaggerations of Tua'ri behavior.

"They gave you and Ry'ac and I a new life. Both men have made an impact and changed your life through their love of you and belief in you. I believe DoctorJackson once told me about people who come into your life and leave their footprints behind inside of you, whether for good or ill. They have done so with you."

"My wife," he choked out, overcome. Dropping to his knees, he buried his face in her lap, letting the tears fall and soak into her rough skirt. "How strong you are and how wise. How could I ask for more than what you give?"

656

Daniel moved away, blinking back tears of his own. That was too close. For the second time in two months, two of the most important people in his life had nearly been taken from him permanently. Would he be asked to watch Sam suffer? To sit idly by and not help?

Could they honestly expect him to be as they? And, if he did, would he become apathetic like them? Inured to the pain and suffering of others? Only seeking his own interests in this universe at the cost of other people's peace of mind?

"My poor, misguided child, you must stop this. It will only cause pain," Oma spoke to him, her essence reaching out to enfold him in a protective warmth.

Warmth he shrugged off. Daniel turned and stared at the woman he'd once thought kind, bitterly he spoke. "Would you have me become hypocritical like you? Turn from that which brought me to your attention? Give up my true potential? Leave me be. Just leave me in some semblance of peace."

"My son," she began.

"Don't," he snapped. "I don't need to hear words of comfort from one who has forgotten what it is like to feel love and pain. Jack was right, you are like the Goa'uld. In fact, you and your kind are worse. At least _they_ are honest about themselves. With them, you know where you stand-as insignificant bugs for them to squash."

"Bravura!" a voice applauded from behind them. They turned to greet the intruder. "I knew that your spirit had not been submerged, Dr. Jackson. Merely misplaced for a time. So nice to see it emerge once again."

"Q," he flatly greeted. "What do you want?"

"Your delightful company, what else?"

Oma moved between them. "Your kind are not welcome here."

He tsked, "I did not ask to see you, Mother Nature. And may I remind you that your kind are only here on our severance. We allowed you to join our divine ranks," he waved her away casually. "Besides, this is Daniel's decision. May be he has had enough of your lies."

The two beings turned to look at him but he'd left. Neither had anything he was interested in. "Jack," he whispered into the empty room.

The door flung open and a young child, no more than six or seven, entered. Tow-headed with freckles, the hazel-eyed child smiled widely, exposing the gap on the bottom row of her teeth. "Hey, Daniel."

For a moment, he could only gape at the girl in disbelief. "Jack?" he gasped.

"The one and only," she kicked off her shoes. "What's wrong in the glow zone?"

"What makes you think there's anything wrong? And when did you join the Gap generation?"

"You never visit unless being a glow worm isn't working out. Or there's some problem with the SGC that I haven't heard about. What? You don't like this look? I decided to be merciful to my knees," she flippantly answered.

"Jack," he scolded.

"You're no fun, Danny. I just got back from Oomha, lovely planet. Big trees, lots of grass, one large purple lake. Children run around and no one notices them. I mingled and gained valuable news without being noticed. While they aren't technologically advanced, they have insight into the Goa'uld mind. Never been bothered by the snakes because of it."

"That's nice," he glumly said.

"All right, what's with the gloom and doom?"

Daniel wrapped his arms around his stomach, as though to ward of coming distress, and sighed. "Am I useless?"

"What?" she sat up and studied him.

"Teal'c and Bre'tac were ambushed at a Jaffa meeting. They're all right," he quickly reassured him when Jack yelped and stood up. "The Jaffa died, they almost did to. If not for Teal'c's strength and his symbiote, they would have. I witnessed it. I helped out as much as I could until SG-2 found them."

"And?"

"I could do nothing for him, Jack, except try to keep his mind active. Focused on the important task he had before him." He sat down, wishing that he felt anything but cold inside.

"You did what you felt you could," she inadequately comforted him. "What you were allowed to do." In the back of her mind, she wondered if the words sounded as inane to him as they did to her.

"I should've been able to do more! What good does it do me to have these abilities if I can't really help anyone? The only reason I agreed to any of this was because I thought I'd be doing more good than I have in the past. The journey was only part of my decision. And I've got that down pat, been doing that for years. It's the aid part that's stymied me," he shook his head despondently.

They sat in tense silence for a while before Jack moved. "Danny, use that brain of yours to figure out other ways to help before the inaction destroys you."

"The others won't like that."

"How do you know there are others? That this invisible threat isn't just a way to keep you in line because they fear who you are? What you are truly capable of?"

"That's brilliant, try to go up against the leaders because they may not exist," he snapped.

"What do you expect? You know the way I think. Even if you are an Ascended, the rest are all liars. They deceive and have a god complex-even if they chose to avoid using their power to try not to be that way. By not choosing, they are choosing-and siding with the Goa'uld."

"But what do I do?"

She shrugged, resting against the headboard of the be. "I don't know. My best advice, well, that I've already given to you. Only you can decide what it is that you want to happen. Only you can decide what it is you truly want to do. This is _your_ journey. A journey you must take alone, no matter how I may long to help you, I can't."

Daniel glared, recognizing his own words. And the all to agonizing truth in them.

6

Sam gasped. Every breath she drew hurt beyond anything she'd been expecting. All her training fled in the face of this mind-numbing anguish. On the bunk next to her own, another figure sat. Svetlana had been put through the same machine. Seemed Nirti was still looking for the perfect host.

And she had just taken Jonas Quinn.

"How is she?" the Russian quietly asked.

"She is getting worse. I fear that if she does not get aid soon, we will lose her." The voice rumbled under her ear and she took comfort in it.

Behind her, Teal'c's powerful body cradled her close as though she were a child he sought to comfort. Something her father hadn't done until Selmak had reminded him of the value of such embraces. Another thing she had the Tok'Ra to thank for. First, she saved her father and gave him purpose again.

Then, she had given her back her father.

Jolinar shrieked inside her mind as another wave hit them. Thankfully, the symbiote curled into her own mind to rest, taking some of the pain with her.

Her father. Martouf. Cassandra. They would never know what had happened to her. She'd never get the chance to see them again. Never tell them of her great love for them. They were lost to her.

Never again would she be surrounded by their buoying love that kept her sane on the sea of insanity that was swallowing up her life.

"Yes, you will." A voice soothed from the darkness. A beloved and much longed for voice.

"Daniel," she moaned through stiff lips, eyes half closed in an attempt to stifle the pain. Of no real good, actually, except in her own mind.

Reaching out, he rested a hand on her sweaty forehead. "Sam, you've got to hold on a little longer. Jonas is trying to bargain with Nirti."

"No. Don't let him, Daniel. I'm not worth that sacrifice. He knows too much that would jeopardize our future. You have to stop him," she mumbled. Rationally, she knew this was not happening. Daniel had left, ascended. He was far from this place. There was no reason for him to be here.

Still, there was comfort to be found in the hallucination.

And her soul recognized that touch. She craved his comforting presence. It felt like the coolest balm to her aching, needy soul starved for the touch of his brotherly love and confidence. Months without it and she needed to feel it, much like an addict needs just one more shot.

"There's nothing I can do," he replied.

She forced her eyes open and stared into his own, windows of shared pain. "What do you mean? What can't you do?"

"I'm not allowed to interfere," he weakly told her. Staring at her, he realized that this was the final moment. He stood at the precipice of the world he inhabited-and the dark edges beyond the glow.

"Please, I'm dying. You know what its like to have your insides turning into liquid. You know that pain. Only you received aid which slowed the ache down," she reminded him.

Jack and Teal'c had been in this same position. Tortured and blind with agony, they had only one source for refuge. Him.

Pressed beyond their normal strength to endure, they had turned to him for help. Both had asked him to help them die in their own ways.

Teal'c had asked him without words to ensure that Bre'tac survive, even at the cost of his own life. While Jack just wanted him to end it.

Permanently.

Would Sam do the same? Put him in that position?

"If there's any compassion in you, please, let me die in peace. Stop this torture, Daniel, I'm begging you," her voice cracked. Hopeless, wild eyes bored into his own. The force of her desperation a physical blow to him. For the first time he could recall, Sam had come to the end of her immense force. Filled with weakness, she sought release in death.

But he couldn't do it for her anymore than he could for his brothers. Only one mind held the key for release for the teams. Only one mind could help him. If only it was open to him, there might be a way to save them all.

He had to try.

656

"Sam, you're going to be all right," a familiar voice soothed.

"What?" she whispered. An ice chip was placed against her raw and chapped lips, she sucked on it eagerly. Welcoming the pain it brought even as it relieved her need.

Jonas had his face buried in his hands. Now, he looked up at her, a tired smile on his troubled face. "At the last moment, the empath, Eggar, looked into Nirti's mind. Once he'd realized the truth and exposed it to his people, they killed Nirti."

"But?"

"Eggar gained the knowledge that we needed to help you, Dr. Markov, and Petrov when he looked into her mind. After they healed you, they let us go."

"How?" she gestured to her body vaguely. Having been the first into the machine, she had been sure she was a goner.

"Did you survive? I'm not sure, though Teal'c said that you spoke with Daniel. That you pleaded with him to end this," Janet softly said.

"I thought he was with me," tears filled her eyes.

"I'm sure he was. Daniel is not the kind to turn away from a friend," Janet offered. After a moment, she explained what happened to everyone. "Petrov died last night, it had nothing to do with the mission; he was suffering from an allergic reaction to something. Dr. Markov made it. She's in the bed next to yours."

"Major Carter, can you forgive me? If I had been less enamored with the idea that I'm genetically superior to everyone, my help might have been more forceful. Less arrogant in assuming that it was my right to be better than others, I could've aided you sooner."

His pale and drawn face touched a part of her but she couldn't speak. Weariness still hounded her and, for all her enhanced strength, she could do nothing more than remain unmoving there, eyes watching him.

"I keep trying to make up for what I did wrong and only make things worse."

"May be you should stop thinking about your own error and just do your job," Kawalsky snapped from the door. His mood extremely foul. Running into your robot double was not his idea of a good time. And watching said double and the copy of your team all die to save the world they were denied took a lot out of him. "You've been lying from the get go about it being about Dr. Jackson. It has always been about yourself and what you want."

"Colonel," Janet warned.

Jonas shook his head. "No. He's right. From the moment I arrived, all I could think about was how to make things right so that I could be more comfortable. I hid behind the excuse of making things up to Dr. Jackson. Of carrying on with his mission. But it was really about me and my needs. My quest for redemption. What I wanted and needed. I needed to be the focus of everyone's attention."

"That's for sure," Kawalsky muttered.

"What I should've been focused on was the bigger picture. I am not the only one who worked on that bomb. I admitted my wrong-but I did nothing to eradicate the arrogance that lead to that wrong. I assumed to much about things," he commented.

"Which makes an ass out of you," Kawalsky snipped.

"I get your point, Colonel," he bitterly said, rubbing his neck. "You don't have to keep rubbing my face in it. What I am trying to say is that while here, I made the mistake of presuming that my way was the only way of doing things. My manner can only be described as patronizing. I expressed no real desire to learn another's viewpoint. Now, I am prepared to listen. More importantly, I am eager to learn."

"Do you think its wise to be burdening Major Carter with all of this so soon after she's awakened?" Sara subtly hinted, entering the room.

Jonas flushed, "you're right. I'm sorry."

"Humble Jonas, who would've thought," Sam yawned.

"Well, it's a start," he looked at his feet and traced patterns in the ground.

"That is all anyone can truly ask of you," Teal'c solemnly proclaimed, firmly ushering everyone out of the room. "Rest, Major Carter."

Yawning again, she nodded. "Thank you, Teal'c."

"You are welcome. I will inform your father and Martouf when they arrive so that they will not have cause for alarm," he bowed gravely to her.

"Again, I thank you," she closed her eyes and knew no more.

6

Daniel watched from the corner as Jack turned from one form to another. "Would you just pick a look already? All this back and forth is driving me nuts."

"And that's bad, how?" Jack asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

His mouth quirked in a reluctant smile. "It's not really bad, Jack, just disconcerting. You do realize that every time I see you, you're wearing a new face."

"Yup, I have innumerable missions and not every one works for what I have to do." The bent head muffled the voice, but the black eyes twinkled merrily up at him over the thin shoulder. "Adaptation is the only way to survive in this game, Danny."

"But you have the ability, so why not just pick one for my visits?"

"I could do that for you. But right now, I have a specific purpose in mind," Jack replied matter of factly. "If I were randomly roaming about, it wouldn't matter what I looked like because there would be no point. But there is a purpose here, so I must put on the best appearance I can for the situations I find myself in."

"Which is this one?"

"Keltoi Bard," Jack replied.

Daniel watched his friend and a thought occurred to him. "Jack, you have the abilities to do almost superhuman things, correct?"

The now squat redhead nodded before shaking out the coiled hair-changing it to black while blunting the features.

"And you heal faster than normal human beings, right?"

"Yup," a deep alto responded. Merry eyes of amber gazed at him curiously. Once more, freckles decorated the lightly tanned face-which once more had hair of red.

"So, why don't you? Heal faster," he clarified, seeing the confused look on the young woman's face.

"Partly because I set limits for myself," she answered after a moment. "As an immortal, our wounds take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or two to heal. Now, in the armed forces such healings would be noticed-_and_ would make me a walking target. So, I taught myself to slow the healings down to a mortal rate."

"But when you broke your ribs and leg down in Antarctica, they didn't take months to mend as it would for anyone else. In fact, you healed in less than an month and needed no physical therapy to help you recover your natural mobility," he pointed out.

"You're right there," Jack smiled. "After my broken leg in Iraq, I decided that I could slip by with a faster recovery if it wasn't to obvious. Besides, I nearly froze to death."

"What?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you say something?"

Jack winced, she had forgotten how Daniel hated to hear of her deaths. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I was alive when we reached base and partially healed."

"Jack, freezing to death is a big deal."

"I know, did it a few times when the _Titanic_ sank. Never could stand going on boats after that, though I did for an old friend of mine," she mused. Pulling a cloth covered item from the closet, she uncovered it. Using her fingernails, she tested the wires.

"Does dying make a difference in recuperation?" he asked, moving over to watch Jack.

"Dying fixes everything-except certain types of scars. Thus, I will never lose this lovely memento from Canaan. And Hathor's kid," Jack pointed to the one on her neck, repressing her shudder.

He touched it, feeling how normal it felt. Like Jack, he couldn't stop the shudder that shook him as he recalled that day. "Scars don't usually remain?"

"There are ways of making them stay, usually the ones on the face or neck do so. I imagine that has something to do with the fact that our most vulnerable spot is our neck," Jack shrugged. "I'd tell you to go see my friend, Adam Pierson, but he wouldn't trust you enough to tell you what he knows of Immortals."

"What about your other friends? The ones you introduced me to after I found out about your child," he asked.

"Same thing. If you were to suddenly appear, what do you think their reaction would be?" she asked, head tilted curiously. "Especially if you are asking questions about things that are not talked about unless you are a watcher? Or an Immortal and student?"

He sighed, "I see your point. But, Jack, I have to learn somehow."

"Oh, Dr. Jackson!" a singsong voice cried out and the occupants turned to face Q. "Why not journey with me for a bit and I can show you things that Emrys here never would dream of telling you."

"Q," he dully greeted.

"Hello, Q. What brings you here? As if I didn't know already," Jack's smile was chilly, though the greeting was warm. "And I haven't gone by Emrys in years, its Jack now."

"But Emrys is more appropriate, cousin of mine." Then he took a good look at the immortal, a grin twisted his lips. "You look marvelously barbarian. And your dear Dr. Jackson, obviously. You didn't think I was here for you, did you?"

Jack laughed. "Thank you, Keltica was the look I was setting out to achieve. You, stooping to see me without wanting something? Perish the thought. Stop playing around with Daniel, cousin. Given half a chance, he'll eat you alive."

"I doubt that," Q scoffed.

"Don't. There are things he will get you to do that will amaze you. And there are things that he will teach you that you, with all your omniscience, would never predict." Pride filled the voice and Jack smiled at the man.

"Is that so? I may have to accept your challenge, Emrys." He winked at Jack's annoyed expression.

"Guys, I'm in the room. And I really don't appreciate this line of conversation."

"Love to stay and debate with you but I must be on my way. The Asgard won't wait forever for that," snicker, "moonshine."

"Why do I get the feeling it isn't really alcohol you're talking about?"

"Because you have a suspicious mind." Jack waved and left the room, harp resting over the shoulders, a sword resting against the thin hip.

"Shall I show you what the universe is really like? Or are you still buying into Oma's version of being a higher being? The one where you get to view your friends' darkest hours and deepest pains, and not help them. Where doing nothing is a way of life and considered the highest goal-instead of an ignominious act of cowardice?"

Glaring at the taunt, Daniel deliberated over his choices. But really, there was only one path open to him. "Lead on, Q."

6

Held frozen in front of Anubis' throne, able to see but not be seen, Daniel watched as the creature raped Abydos. Impotent behind the shielding the Ancients had entombed him in, he seethed. Testing the boundary, he found that he could do nothing.

So, he watched in powerless fury as horrendous atrocities were committed before his eyes.

Then, Anubis brought in…Anya Jackson. It had been more than a year since he'd laid eyes on his daughter. As fragile looking as Daniel used to, she was as exquisite as Shau're had been. She stared at the robed figure before her, hiding her fear. Her pointed chin stuck out stubbornly and she defiantly refused to look away from him.

"Where is the stone tablet?" he asked.

Anya remained silent, defiance in the tense jaw. Even at seven, she had the courage of her people in her. Obviously, she had taken the lessons from Jack and Teal'c to heart. Anubis would find no weakness in her.

"Defiant child," he hissed. "You will speak to me."

"My father would not, why should I?" she spat out.

Anubis rose, stalking her in the nearly empty room-displeased when she only yielded two steps before remaining in place. _Sam had taught her that one_, Daniel thought with a tiny smile. _How pleased they would be to see her standing up to the badly dressed Goa'uld-especially Jack_.

"I have painful methods of making you talk. Would it not be best to tell me what I wish to know and spare yourself the pain?" he coaxed.

"Pain is part of life," she stoically replied. A lesson learned from a lifetime in a harsh barren land where survival is a daily struggle.

"Tell me!" he roared, shaking her.

Anya bit her lip, struggling to free herself from him. Still hiding her fear, she could not help but feel panic rising within her heart. "I cannot tell you what I don't know!"

"You know. You must, you are Dr. Jackson's child," he continued to abuse her. "Get the probe."

"But she is too young, the damage it could cause…" one of the men began to protest.

"Get it!" he bellowed.

The words frightened her. She knew what a probe was, she had seen Dr. Fraiser use one before. Watching the man leave, she made a decision to fight him. His grip was tight but no stronger than the mastages she raised and herded. Though by no means easy, she broke free and bolted from the room. A large Jaffa grabbed her and hurled her at the wall.

The impact sent a shattering bolt of pain through Daniel and he reached out, angered beyond anything he'd ever felt. "ANYA!" Power surged through him and he broke the barriers holding him in place.

With rage strengthening him, he executed every Jaffa on the ship and the planet. Turning, blue eyes wild with furious pain, he faced Anubis. "You killed her," he hissed. Frenzy guiding him, he shattered the entire fleet Anubis had built up.

"You can't do this," Anubis backed away, the force of hate pressing him back. "It is against all you believe in.'"

Daniel's smile was chilly, his eyes flinty with hatred. "I am **not** one of those miserable cowards! Your words mean nothing to me. They are sound and fury, signifying nothing." A blast destroyed the medallions collected.

"You are breaking the rules," he tried again. For the first time in memory, dread entered his being. This was not some random ascended. This was a man of authority, with the courage and conviction to use it.

"Talk to Jack O'Neill, you'll find that I rarely do that which others say I can't when I know what I **should** be doing," he smashed the shield surrounding Anubis. "Now, you will pay."

Oma appeared, her hands held out in front of her. A silent plea to him to listen. "Daniel, stop this. Giving into hate spoils the purity…"

"Yet rectifies a mistake that you and the others created by your inattention and ineptitude," he snapped. "Stand down, Oma. I will finish what you are to craven to."

"I cannot allow this," Oma bowed her head for a moment. With hard eyes, she looked at him. "Take him and do what you will."

Daniel sneered. "Yes. Continue to hide like the pusillanimous liars you are. But know this truth, Anubis is your fault. Every crime he commits, every act against the living that he perpetuates, lies solely at your feet. You allow him to stay alive-even in this half state. You allow him to violate the very rule you are punishing me for breaking. But unlike me, his goals are to destroy. What does that make you, Oma?"

"Father?" Anya whispered, weakly.

"Baby," he choked and disappeared before he could say more. _Jack_, he pleaded, _save Anya_.

656

_Jack jolted out of a deep sleep. Something bad had happened on Abydos-and to Daniel_.

_Quickly rising, he remade his face into one similar to the one he wore as O'Neill. He would be going to help his friend in whatever capacity was necessary. Yet, he couldn't help wishing for more information about it_.

656

Q watched the proceedings with a detached eye. Oma felt his presence and turned to face him, fury darkening her gentle face. "I blame you for all of this."

"Oma, Oma, Oma. How can you be so blind? This is your fault. You should've known better than to demand he turn against his own nature." His voice dripped with condescension as he appeared before her.

"He is not a vindictive person," she denied.

"Unless his loved ones are in danger," he countered evenly. For it was the simple truth and he knew that she knew it, even though she seemed to be intent on ignoring it. "Something you know from observation."

"He chose our pattern of life."

"He chose it based on a carefully prepared lie," he replied baldly.

Oma flinched, "it is not like that."

"Isn't it?" he snapped. "He trusted you and you misled him. He thought that as an ascended being he could do more-and you did nothing thing to correct his belief. How is that not preventing him from being who he is?"

"You are one to talk with your godlike attitude," she retorted. It was the closest she had ever gotten to revealing her true feelings. "Through you, we have learned the dangers of letting intentions change who we are."

"Are you so blind that you fail to see that we inspire people?"

Sighing because he knew that neither would bend in this argument, he brought Emrys into the ship. "Take Anya away, Emrys. I will shelter Abydos under my own protective wings. It will be a safe world for the Tua'ri, much as Cimmeria is."

Though confused, Emrys did as ordered, taking care not to jostle the girl. Breathing a sigh of relief when he felt a strong pulse, he took care to place her on a stiff board. It would not do to have her spine break further. Seeing Oma, he realized that Daniel had done something to protect Abydos and his daughter-and they didn't approve.

"I have to ask one thing before you send me away, Q. Oma? How does destroying Daniel and letting that Goa'uld live not make a god out of you?" he asked. Holding the little girl closer, he nodded to Q. "I'm ready. The stench of her double standards chokes me."

End, Act 15.

Author's Note: Hope the thing with Drey'ac and Teal'c worked out, as well as the Jonas thing. I felt Carter deserved her own Danny moment after he ascended. And, yes, there is a lot of stuff about the ascendeds being hypocrites. Well, I think they are. Keltica and Keltoi-Greek way of addressing the Celts.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Jack placed the little girl on the bed. A quick examination confirmed his suspicions. Anya was paralyzed. How far the damage extended, he wasn't trained enough to figure out. But returning to Abydos was impossible for the young girl. How was he supposed to tell Kasuf and Skaara that they've lost another piece of Shau're?

May be she could stay on Cimmeria but they wouldn't be able to handle her condition. Earth was out, for obvious reasons. And the idea of letting the Tollans raise her left him shuddering in revulsion. The gods only knew how they would treat her because of her 'inferior' status.

But they may be the only ones technologically and medically able to help her.

"Colonel?"

Turning around, he saw Shaylin standing there. Suddenly, his questions were answered by the visiting Tok'Ra's presence. Sending Anya to live among the Tok'Ra was not the best solution in his mind but it was the only one open under the circumstances. Besides, she and Charlie would get along well.

"Shaylin, you owe me." It was not a question-even if she answered it as such.

"You saved my life and gave me a new one," she sat down at his gesture.

"This is Anya Jackson. I want you to take her with you when you return to the Tok'Ra. She is going to have a lot of heath problems, this you will realize upon further examination. I can't take care of her. She will need your aid."

"I understand," she murmured, eyes on the child.

"I don't think you do. She is all I have left of my best friend. This is the daughter of the man who changed all of us. She means the world to me. I don't like giving her up to you after what your other half did to me." He sighed, shrugging away thoughts of Canaan. The symbiote had been robbed of all memory of who and what Jack really was.

And if the woman ever thought of telling, she would find herself in extreme pain and unable to speak of it. Still, the thought that he still lived bothered Jack. "I am only doing this because there is no other choice."

"What do I tell them?"

"Tell them that Abydos was attacked by Anubis. He captured Anya because she is the daughter of Dr. Jackson and an ascended being saved her. Jacob Carter-you will know him as Selmak-will know who you mean. He will help, as will Martouf. Let them and the people at the SGC help you. She is all we have left of our soul."

"I understand," she repeated. The memories of Canaan's blending with Colonel O'Neill were faint, almost non-existent in her mind but she knew of Dr. Jackson. His name was recognized and feared among the Goa'uld. If this was his child, her safety would be the most important thing for Shaylin to do now.

"I hope you do," he replied after a while.

6

Professor Fox wiped her forehead and looked around. The dig was going well and they had discovered a tablet of some kind earlier that day. Right now, Nigel and Lieutenant O'Neill were pouring over it, trying to decipher the language. Working at the SGC had been tough but no different than working at Trinity College.

She still bumped heads with her superiors. Still felt a responsibility to honor the culture and beliefs of the people she found herself visiting and working around. Still felt the need to preserve them in their purity if at all possible. Only it was deeper responsibility now because she knew that they were once a part of Earth.

It was awe inspiring to see how differently the cultures she thought she knew had evolved under the diverse pressures and forces they encountered in space. Both good and bad had given them a uniqueness she found fascinating.

The best thing about this job was the fact that it allowed her to pursue her Earth-based archaeological activities with little questioning.

In fact, General Hammond encouraged it, knowing that many items out there may just be of alien origin. Which would make them dangerous in the hands of some humans if they were to figure out what they were and how to work them. The Rogue NID came to mind instantly.

And she found that both Captain Jim Ellison and his guide, Dr. Blair Sandburg were ideal companions for the times Nigel absolutely refused to go. She understood Nigel's reluctance; he had never really felt comfortable with that side of her work. Besides, he was in a semi-serious relationship with Dr. Fraiser.

Plus, having a sentinel around who could see or hear danger coming at them was a comforting benefit.

Colonel Ferretti approached and she smiled at him, wondering what he wanted. They were working as fast as they could, while being careful not to damage what they found. Where she was digging now was once part of a vibrant city and she wished that they could spend more time working.

Unfortunately, the desolation of the planet was caused by the solar storms that still harassed the world. Though not to the extent they once did, about four hundred years ago if Orlin's time tests were accurate.

The sun glinted off the mental weapon resting casually against his hip and she grimaced. At one time, she would've protested that they were on an _archaeological_ dig and there was no need for it.

But she had met the Goa'uld Lord Ba'al on a 'harmless' mission like this.

Only dumb luck had gotten her rescued before she experienced the joys of sarcophagus withdrawal.

In other words, she had been lucky that Ellison had been there when it happened and he, with Blair's help, had found her. The two, with Teal'c to provide back up had snuck into the new prison to free her. Having heard from the Tok'Ra Canaan that this particular god usually had antigravity cells, she realized how close she'd come to never walking free again.

To thank them, she treated them to dinner-and refrained from asking any questions about their senses like she normally would. Though surprised by this reticence, Blair let her know that to Jim, that was the best thank you she could have given him.

Though no longer a secret, Jim still felt a poor man's version of Superman. All he wanted was to be seen as a normal person who just happened to have advanced senses. As he continually told people, it was genetic and not something he could control.

One time had been more than enough to realize that the military's habit of resorting to such extremes was not just simple paranoia. Never before had anyone caused fear to fill her as the Goa'uld Lord had.

Her eyes darted quickly to the zat gun she had with her. She, like Nigel, preferred it over the other weapons they'd been trained to use. The sight of its familiar dark shape comforted her. "Colonel."

"Professor," he greeted. "I hate to pull you away from this but over in that ziggurat thing, there's been some odd noises."

"What kind?" Instantly, Sydney was concerned.

The building they tentatively called a ziggurat, was extremely old and would collapse before their work on this planet was finished. Upon arriving, the first order she had given was that it was to be sealed off and that the teams should stay a fair distance away.

"Almost as if someone's inside," he helped her up. "Before coming to see you, I checked to make sure no one had been foolish enough to violate a direct order. Everyone is present and accounted for."

Following him with an easy stride, she puzzled the problem out in her mind. "Do you think it could be a Goa'uld?" she asked, noting the armed guard waiting for them.

"It wouldn't be the first time they've woken-I take it you know of Marduk's ziggurat?"

"The one with the flesh eating beast?" she shuddered slightly.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I heard." Reaching the barrier, she reached out and tied a rope around her waist. Ferretti did the same before securing both ropes to a strong post. It was not an ideal anchor; personally Sydney would prefer actually search and rescue equipment for this. One of the men handed her a hard hat and she quickly replaced her cap with it, noticing the colonel do the same.

But if what they heard was only the sound of the building, it would be a waste of money and men. Something that Senator Kinsey was already uptight about. He was almost always hounding them, telling them they needed to cut back on this or that.

Having been raised a good girl, she knew that it was wrong to wish harm upon anyone. But the 'good' Kinsey was pushing it. There were times she wished that the false Ferretti had not missed. That the false Major Davis hadn't been interrupted when they both tried to kill him.

In the case of anything to do with the Stargate, that desire for his death grew stronger.

"Are you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and they made their way carefully across the still sturdy ground. It was the only thing safe about the site, she thought, glancing up at the ziggurat shape warily. Gaping holes gave glimpses of the dark interior within.

If ever the sight of an ancient wonder was to fill someone with dread, it was the crumbling building. On another planet, it would have stood as a silent and stern guardian for many centuries. Even on this planet, it should have been in much better condition. They had seen others, far older than this one, in much a better state.

But the implosion of a star not far from here had brought about an apocalyptic change in weather and lifestyle conditions. Hence, the rather hurried schedule this dig had placed upon it. Already, the nights were colder than most appreciated.

Sydney herself was not happy with the nights, much preferring warmer climates.

Together, they walked, stopping occasionally to listen. Sure enough, near the door, they could hear a faint voice calling for help. It grew fainter with every try, whether from exhaustion or because the person was moving away, neither could tell.

"What should we do?"

"I was hoping you could give me some advice on that," Lou admitted.

Sydney closed her eyes, head tilted to the side. "Who are you?" She finally called out, ignoring the funny look she received for it.

For a moment, there was nothing. They could hear someone draw a ragged breath. "I don't really know."

"How can you not know?" Lou asked, almost harshly. It quickly became clear to him what the professor had been aiming for, a name that would pin the person as either a Goa'uld or a human trapped somehow inside.

A theory he didn't dismiss having seen a few Stargates housed inside buildings.

Again, it was silent for a time. The voice came again, fainter and they had to strain their hearing to catch the words. "I don't remember anything since waking up." The speaker coughed between every word.

"How long have you been in there?"

The sound of coughing was replaced by the sound of someone gulping in air. "Don't know."

Exchanging glances, Sydney turned back and hollered. "Get Lieutenant O'Neill!"

Soon, the young man was running towards them, a look of surprise on his face when he saw where they stood. "Colonel. Professor," he called out. "What can I do for you?"

"Get yourself secured with a rope, put on a hard hat on and come out here," the colonel replied. "Bring a zat. We may need it."

Still trying to figure out what was going on, he did as ordered. Picking his way carefully over the ground, he found his way to them. Only when he arrived did Sydney explain the situation to him. "So, we going to let him out? He could be a Goa'uld." He said, making sure he understood what was going on and that he wouldn't make an error in his actions.

"I know. They can masquerade as a human being effectively. But there is the chance that this is a human being. I can't leave him in there," Sydney said.

"Lieutenant, stand on her left. I'll guard the right," Lou ordered. Moving into position, they approached what they knew was the door. Much the same as Marduk's ziggurat, this one was also opened by reorientation of the story panels.

Shaking her head after trying to translate, she moved back. "I'm not familiar with the story of the Old Man Under the Rock; I can't figure this out." They looked at O'Neill, knowing of his familiarity with Aboriginal tales.

Nodding, he switched places with her and read the works. Carefully, he pressed each of the buttons. The door groaned and they quickly moved back, hoping that nothing would hit them for, even with the hard hats, they would not be protected from greater sized stones.

O'Neill had pulled out a sidepiece as they retreated away from the dust and bits of debris that fell around. The man stumbled out on his knees, gulping in the air. Turning to face them, eyes of startling blue met theirs before the very naked man slipped into a boneless heap on the ground. Tattered and dirty, half-starved though he appeared, they all seemed to gasp in recognition anyway.

"Daniel?" the colonel breathed in disbelief. Though his mind tried to fight the sight before him, using the logic that the doctor had died-ascended, whatever-more than a year ago, it could find nothing to say to disprove its own eyes.

The naked man was, to all intents and purposes, one very alive Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Sydney watched Lou rush forward and followed him. Both hands flew over the body, checking for damage. A slumberous pulse met her questing fingers. Behind them, they could hear O'Neill order them to dial up the gate and get Doctor Fraiser.

Once Lou was certain that Daniel's neck wasn't broken, he hoisted the man up and carried him at a run away from the collapsing building. "Professor, get one of the tents cleared out for Dr. Fraiser. Whatever needs to be done before Daniel can travel through the gate will have to be done here."

"What if he isn't Dr. Jackson?" She asked, though staring at him, she wondered how could it be anyone else.

"We'll cross that bridge when we need to," he answered tersely.

Janet arrived, Sam and Teal'c at her heals. Upon seeing Daniel, they all stopped and stared in shock. Their bodies slumped and their breath came in gulps. It was almost like they had forgotten to breath until they had seen him for themselves.

For a moment, the doctor lost her professional detachment and reached out a shaking, hopeful hand to touch him. Snapping back at his groan of pain, Janet spat out orders left and right. Within moments, all extraneous people were gone and she started to work on him.

Outside, Lou paced nervously. One good thing about the presence of Sam and Teal'c, he thought, was that they knew that Daniel was no Goa'uld. It was also obvious that the snake had not jumped into him because every few minutes, Teal'c gave him an update.

Nevertheless, Lou worried. If they hadn't opened the door, Daniel would have died. He had been left there by the ascendeds for some reason and it left him enraged. What they did would constitute murder in any other society.

"Well?" he asked Janet when she finally left the tent. A cup of hot coffee was pressed into her hands.

"Well, it looks like Daniel. But until I get him into the SGC to test him, I won't know for sure," she sighed. Gulping down her drink, she didn't even feel the burn as it hit her tongue and trailed fire down her throat. "Where did you find him?"

Silently, he pointed to the wreck behind him. The doctor paled, shaking with renewed emotions. "When will you need to move him?"

"Early tomorrow, if he makes it through tonight."

"What?"

She looked at him pityingly. "It's cold, Colonel. Daniel has already been exposed to things in that wreck that I cannot begin to contemplate. I don't know how long he was in there, but it kept him in a vacuum. Due to reemerging unprepared into this air, his immune system is unstable and unequal to the task of staving off any attacks from the cold."

Lou buried his head in his hands, despairing. How close had they come to saving a life only to find out that by doing so, they were responsible for possibly killing that life? Would life never ease up on poor Dr. Jackson?

The next morning, they saw the doctor's party off-Daniel included. By some miracle, the young man had made it through the night.

656

"Dr. Jackson?" A voice prodded him gently, pushing its way through the darkness that clouded his mind.

Blinking back pain, his eyes fluttered, then opened into the bright room. Instantly, they closed again, unable to bear the harsh glare.

"Sorry," the same voice spoke. "Try again, we dimmed the lights this time."

More reluctant, but unwilling to disappoint the voice's owner, the man tried again. Slowly, the eyes opened and peered around the room through narrowed slits. Once secure in the dimmer light, he opened them fully and studied the only other occupant in the room. The woman was a redhead he vaguely recalled from his feverish dreams.

She was a…he searched for the word, a medical doctor? "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Yes," she replied, taking his pulse. "I would say that I probably know you better than just about anyone."

He thought for a moment, trying to remember her. "So, we are together? I seem to recall someone being in my life as my life partner."

Janet was startled and looked at him, "no. I'm your doctor. Daniel, are you all right?"

"I'm sorry, I..I don't remember." He sounded so lost, she wanted to give him a big hug.

"That's right, Colonel Ferretti mentioned that you didn't know anything about who you were or how you came to get trapped inside that decrepit building." She soothed him, taking his pulse to make sure he wasn't getting to worked up.

"Who?"

"One of the men who rescued you," she replied calmly. Though inside she was shaking, her professional demeanor never faltered.

"Where's my family?"

"Well, Sam and Teal'c are on a mission. Your father and brother in law are on Abydos. Anya, your daughter, is living safely with the Tok'Ra. My daughter Cassandra, your niece, is at school but will be by later," she paused, wondering what to say about Jack.

"And my wife? Since I have a daughter, I assume I have one."

"Had. She died a few years ago," Janet softly said. Really, she shouldn't have told him that much. There were things that he had to recall on his own, his wife's death should be one of them-especially how it happened.

Then again, in this base, everyone knew about everyone else. There was no way for him to remember on his own unless they put a ban on anyone who wanted to talk to him. An impractical and impossible undertaking.

"How?"

"That's something for you to remember on your own, Daniel."

"You keep calling me Daniel. Is that my name?"

She nodded, "you are Dr. Daniel Jackson."

"And you are my doctor?" she gave an affirming nod. "Where are we?"

"Cheyenne Mountain," another voice answered. "It is good to see you awake, Dr. Jackson."

"Excuse me?" he turned to the man at the door, noting the stars on his shirt.

"This is Major General George Hammond," Janet introduced him. "I'm afraid that the amnesia wasn't caused by being trapped, sir."

"Will it be permanent?"

"I don't know, sir. This could've been caused by something that happened to him while he was trapped and all he needs is to be around things that are familiar to him. Or it could be permanent. He'll need to undergo some tests no matter which way it goes," she informed them.

"What kind of tests?" Daniel asked apprehensively, bringing their gazes back to him.

"Recognition, what skills you still possess, that sort of thing. Also, a psychiatric evaluation is in order," she kept her face blank. It would be interesting to see how well he would interact with Dr. McKenzie when he didn't remember him. Of course, there was a twinge of guilt there.

The only reason he'd seen McKenzie in the first place all those years ago was because she had asked him to, being worried that he was developing schizophrenia. Though he forgave her for what had happened to him, she never would because she should've known better.

"A psychologist?" he asked, dismayed. Obviously, he knew what that title meant. And didn't like it.

"But not right now," General Hammond comforted him. "Now, you will eat something and then rest, while I have a word with Dr. Fraiser."

Though unhappy, Daniel settled down on the bed and let one of the nurses care for him.

Janet and the general went to her office, keeping the door cracked open so they could hear for any emergencies. Daniel listened, wondering what the general couldn't say in front of him. Of course, he wondered what he was doing with the military.

He didn't feel like he was in the army. But then, with no memory, could he really trust his own feelings? For all he knew, he could be an evil man, though they didn't treat him like he was.

"Are you sure he is Dr. Jackson?" the general asked.

"Positive," Janet affirmed. "I've run every test I know and some I made up and the results are always the same. That mysterious young man **is** Daniel Jackson-right down to the appendix scar and fractured rib. Short of calling the Asgard, I see no other way to relieve your mind."

"What of the Tok'Ra? Would they be able to see any differences?"

"They might. Why?"

"They arrive soon with a new shipment of tritonin and instructions on how to make it," he said. "It isn't that I doubt your capabilities, Dr. Fraiser, but you and everyone else on base is to close to Dr. Jackson. The young man's amnesia is too convenient for it to be accidental-and we know that there are races with the ability to clone others perfectly. While we do know for sure that he isn't Goa'uld, there is no way of being sure that Anubis didn't clone him from the knowledge stolen from Thor's mind."

"I understand, sir. With all that we are facing, we can never be too careful." Janet sighed, then looked towards her door. One of her nurses had started asking one of her patients something. If it was the Sergeant, she didn't need to worry.

If it was Daniel, she was going to have to interfere. That boy could procrastinate about anything. She figured that, memory or no memory-he'd behave in the same manner.

"How does that feel, Dr. Jackson?"

He looked up at the nurse who had disturbed his thinking and dredged up a smile. "Fine."

"Need anything else?"

"Well, may be…" before those words had finished leaving his lips, Janet had opened her door and gave him a _look_. Now, he didn't remember much but he did remember what that particular look meant. "I'm fine. I'm just going to shut my eyes and get some sleep."

656

"Jacob, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, George. What of you?" The Tok'Ra walked down the ramp, a knowing look in his eyes.

"We have a problem but I wanted to talk to you before asking to speak with Selmak," he explained.

"Whatever is wrong, would be best addressed now, General."

"Of course, you are right. It's just that the problem is something that has the whole base excited and disturbed." He paused, trying to frame his explanation clearly. They went into his office and sat down, the desk between them. Selmak/Jacob waited patiently. "A few days ago while on a mission, Professor Fox's team, along with Colonel Ferretti's, found a young man in an abandoned building built along the lines of a Sumerian ziggurat. They let him out and he fell to the ground, sick. Dr. Fraiser believed that he would not make it through the night. But he did and is currently residing in our Infirmary."

"Is he a Goa'uld? Or some kind of advanced slave to the Goa'uld?"

"No. The young man is, to all of our tests and researching, Dr. Daniel Jackson."

Selmak/Jacob stared at General Hammond in a combination of awe, horror, and consternation. "That is impossible. Dr. Jackson ascended before our eyes."

Orlin cleared his throat, "didn't mean to disturb you but you did want me here for this, sir."

Introducing the two, he explained his presence as he did so. "You may or may not know this but Orlin was once among the Ascendeds. He was found and brought back by SG-1 about two years ago."

"This I knew," Selmak nodded. "Hello, Orlin."

He nodded and waited for General Hammond to tell him what to do exactly. "Tell them what you know about the Ascendeds and about Dr. Jackson's condition."

Clearing his throat again and nervously sitting down, he stared at the table. "Well, as you know, the Ascendeds have a tremendous amount of power. They made rules that are strictly enforced about how and when to use them. If they are violated, the perpetrator is punished. The young man, who we shall continue to refer to as Dr. Jackson until we know better, exhibits a lack of memory, similar to the one we once employed on another Ascended who broke the non-interference policy. He was left on a deserted planet to suffer for his actions against the Elders. If they had been paying attention, they would have noticed the SG teams and left him somewhere else. But they have a tendency to be so arrogant in their own abilities that they think no one can escape from their punishments. Hence, my continued presence here."

"Non-interference?" Jacob mused. _Selmak, would this have something to do with Anya_?

_It would not surprise me_, she replied. "If he saved a life, would this be a violation of their rules?"

"It would have to do with how he accomplished this feat," Orlin replied. "Why?"

"A few weeks ago, Dr. Jackson's daughter came to be with us. Shaylin told us that an ascended being saved her and the planet of Abydos from Anubis."

"That would do it."

"I will help you in whatever way you require, General Hammond," Selmak said.

"Thank you," the trio got up. Orlin left them halfway to the Infirmary, citing work that needed to be finished.

656

"Well, dad?"

"Sammy," he greeted. "How have you been?"

Rolling her eyes, she plopped herself down on the empty chair. "I'm dealing. You?"

"Never better, though I still have a head-ache, thank you for asking."

"And Selmak?"

"I am well, Samantha.. Fear no more, the young man is Dr. Daniel Jackson." Selmak took pity on the major and told her what she wished to know, though it upset Jacob to have his fun ended so quickly.

Sam whooped and hugged her dad before running down the hall to Teal'c's room, just bursting with joy at the news. Together, they went into the infirmary to visit their brother, once more returned to them.

6

Dr. Daniel Jackson sat tensely in the chair that Major Carter assured him was his. After spending two months in the infirmary, learning something of himself, he had finally been declared fit to leave. He had also learned of the SGC's mission by General George Hammond.

So here he sat. In the office that used to belong to him. Or so he'd been told. But there was a pervasive feeling of awkwardness. The shelves were covered in academic books that he'd apparently collected over the years, and a few journals.

In his lap, one of the journals lay open on a page dated a few years earlier, (it seemed that someone had asked that his journals be kept safe for him. He wondered who it was.) but it hadn't garnered more than a glance after the first read through. Both Sam, as he was asked to call her, and Jonas Quinn thought that they'd help jog his memory.

Nothing in it had done any such thing. Not even the faintest semblance of remembrance touched his mind. He sat there, is an unfamiliar office, surrounded by items from his past, yet nothing seemed to belong to him. It was like something was missing, a vital something to complete the picture.

"Daniel? Are you okay?" Sam asked, leaning against the doorframe, that look was still in her eyes.

He shrugged, knowing that it meant she could barely bring herself to believe that her 'little brother' was back. "Nothing belongs, Sam." There was an embarrassment in his voice, he felt odd saying her name when he didn't remember her. Though a faint sense of knowing filled him, like with other things, she didn't click.

"What do you mean?" She asked inquisitively, entering and sitting on one of the stools opposite his desk. Her face revealed no hint at the pain she felt that hearing her name said so awkwardly caused her.

"The words read like a great fictional novel but there's nothing that says 'Hi, you are part of us!' to me." Pausing, he studied the book, then her. "May be things would connect if I asked you a few questions?"

He trailed off, but she smiled warmly at him, "go on."

"Well, this entry says that I went with SG-5 to a place called Argos. But there is no mention of SG-1 going as well, why? I was under the impression that I was with you guys from the start."

"You were. But we were just starting out and you were our only linguist. Well, the only one experienced in speaking and reading the Goa'uld language. In the early days of the SGC, you were loaned out quite a lot. That is, until the Colonel objected and said that you were only human. You needed rest like the rest of us mortals. He helped you get a department for archeology and linguistics started. Still, your work load was heavy, you were the only one trained for this lifestyle," she laughed.

"I'm military? I thought I was a civilian," Daniel was confused. Again. He was getting used to that feeling of being utterly lost.

"Oh, no." She reassured him that he wasn't mistaken, "no, you're a civilian. What I meant was that you'd been on the first mission. You understood its workings and the dangers of the Goa'uld as well, it was obvious that people would want you to be with them. You were-and still are-the best we have."

"The first mission? But you weren't there," he asked for clarification.

"No. I was involved in further training."

"I see. But this colonel you mentioned, would he be Colonel Jack O'Neill?" There was a faint sense of homecoming about the name that struck a cord within him. He wished to know why that was-especially since he had seen nothing or heard anything about the man since his arrival.

If they had been close, surely the man would be here for him? Unless…was it possible that he was dead? The very ideal chilled him to the bone.

"Yes. The Kawalskys, Dr. Fraiser, and Major Ferretti were there as well. Those are the only ones I know with whom you formed tight friendships." Though there was a tinge of uncertainty in her voice when she said that. Not because she had left out Teal'c, but because she hadn't mentioned Shau're or the others who lived on Abydos.

"We went to Abydos, correct? That's when we found Master Teal'c and fought Ra, one of the oldest of the Goa'uld System Lords. We also learned of the Goa'uld." They talked for a few minutes about this, him referring to the journal occasionally. Finally, Daniel asked the question that kept circling through his mind. "Sam, where's Jack?"

The sudden loss of the laughter on her face, shocked him. The change had been so swift and complete, like it had never been there. "I prefer not to talk about the Colonel."

"Why not? He's my best friend. Or at least, that's the impression I got from my own writings. So, why isn't he here?"

She swallowed, deciding to get this over with. "He left shortly after you ascended, saying he couldn't stay."

Daniel blinked, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he wasn't dead. "But why? He loves the Stargate."

"Daniel, he only stayed as long as he did because of you," Sam said. "He may have loved the adrenaline rush and the travel, we all do. But it was seeing the world through your innocent eyes, that's what kept him going through the tough times. And, believe me, there were many of those. I've got to get out of here."

Daniel watched her stumble from the room, stunned by her words. Yet, they made sense with what he'd read and heard around the base. With what he felt deep within. But if Jack needed him as an anchor, what did he receive in exchange? Could he function properly without the comforting presence of his friend? Could he do without what might be his own anchor in this confusing world?

He would have to try. Turning away was not an option. And he had no other options, this he knew all to well.

From what he'd been able to understand, he was a laughingstock among his peers for his radical beliefs that the pyramids were built many years before the scientific community acknowledged that they were. The proof lay a few stories down and on numberless worlds, yet he could say nothing about it.

And because he couldn't, he had no other career available. Because he didn't think he cared to try to repair his damaged reputation by denying what he knew as truth.

"Excuse me, Dr. Jackson, I thought Samantha was here." Martouf interrupted his musings.

"She was. I upset her when I asked about Jack."

"Ah, you would not know of their bad parting."

Daniel was startled, this was new. "What do you mean? She only said that he left because I was gone."

He sighed, nodding his head in understanding. "That sounds like her to try to protect you from the truth while you are still in a fragile state of mind. Colonel O'Neill accused her of not caring that you were dying because she wanted to study the element, Naquadriah, which was found on Kelowna. You do know that you were exposed to a deadly dose of radiation?"

"So Dr. Fraiser told me," he agreed, somewhat cautiously.

"Both General Hammond and Samantha were willing to do whatever they had to do to see if they could get a sample of it for study. If that meant offering your reputation up for slaughter to the people, then so be it. The Kelownans were already accusing you of sabotage. Why should the SGC risk losing the ore by protecting you? They did not seem to want to see justice done. Or so it seemed to him."

Daniel rubbed his head, a headache was building behind his temples. "I had no idea. This is all so confusing. He would've made it up to her, I know he would."

"I am not saying that he did not. The Colonel did send her a letter of thanks and some valuable technology for saving his 'buddy' Thor from his coma. But it is a bad situation, he was as a brother to her. She needed his support and love more than ever after you had died, he took both from her."

"Do you know where to find him? I think all this stuff," he gestured to his head in frustration, "would come back if I could talk to him."

"No one knows where Colonel O'Neill is, though many have tried to find him for he is needed here. He has completely vanished," Martouf sounded truly regretful. "I shall leave you to your thoughts."

"Are you and Sam together?" He asked, his mind putting together the pieces the Tok'Ra's tone and words were creating. When Martouf nodded, he muttered. "I should've known that." This coming back thing was harder than it probably should be. Though it was unreasonable, the young man couldn't help but feel like an idiot.

"How can you be expected to remember when you have lost so much of your own life?" He smiled, then left Daniel to his own thoughts.

End, Act 16.

Author's Note: Made up the myth, needed a way to get O'Neill to do something in the story.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Author's Note: Will be changing title to something less awkward. Been thinking of Arkadas, which is Turkish for "he who fights back to back" or anmchara, which is Irish for "soul friend". Probably will do the Irish one b/c Jack refers to Daniel as his Anam Cara and it works out well. Tell me, which do you prefer?

6

Shau're.

He stared at her picture as he placed it back down on the bedside table. Inside, he felt a heart full of abiding love and a bittersweet sense of loss. He remembered her, his beautiful, adoring, and sensual wife. The selfishness of Apophis and Ammonnet had stolen her from him.

More importantly, they had stolen her from herself. A life of goodness and spirited courage had been cut off before it had truly begun. There was no hatred for what Teal'c had done in killing her. A well of relief filled him to think that she was finally safe.

It amazed him that he had been naïve enough to think that he could save her. But she had shown him, through her actions to save her son, through her pleading that he forgive Teal'c for what he had had to do, that she was the only one who could truly free herself.

Her soul was still pure. Still her own.

The vileness of Ammonnet hadn't robbed her of it. The hatred of that race never conquered her own sense of self. Through her strength, Daniel had found his own. Forever in his heart, the purity of their love would be kept alive and undamaged.

Yawning, he realized how late it was. Major Carter, Sam, he reminded himself, was expecting Jonas and him to be ready to leave at 0900. Hoping that the alarms wouldn't go off as they had the last few nights, he turned out the light and slept.

6

_Cold brown eyes pierced his already battered and bruised soul. He'd been through so much in this world and now he was being asked to prove his knowledge of this man before him. Filmed evidence meant nothing to this O'Neill because film could be altered to show what the visionary wants one to see._

_This man, in so many ways, was unknown to him and he catalogued the differences._

_A wedding ring adorned his left hand. A picture of Shau're, Skaara, and a young boy he didn't know rested on the desk. On one of the full walls, somewhat familiar framed faces were hanged in order of prominence. The people of Abydos. But they were standing on Earth's soil. If nothing else, these things showed him how different their trips had been._

_But in other ways, he was the same Jack O'Neill he knew. The same beloved friend who'd carried him when necessary. Who he himself had carried through patience and gentle pushing. Friends at first near accident, through death and resurrection, till that day._

_And he didn't know him._

_So, how was he to prove that he knew Jack?_

_General O'Neill waited, hard eyes burning into his own._

_Daniel reached into memory. Praying to anyone listening, he hoped that what he was about to say was the same here as in his world. And he prayed that Jack would forgive him for what he was about to do. The story he would reveal had only been told when his friend had been confronted with it. "Years ago, you served under a Colonel Frank Cromwell and were shot down behind the Iraqi lines. There you saw four months of your life go straight to Hell."_

_Brown eyes narrowed, becoming rather hawkish in intensity. "My record is not hidden. Any resource could have told you that."_

_"But it couldn't have told me about the little Iraqi girl they had serving you. Raised by her Hindu mom, she was named Mahadevi-after the Great Creator Goddess. After she had committed some small error they brought her to you."_

_There was silence as the two strong willed men stared at each other._

_"They gave you the choice-her life or your own. If you chose your life, she would have to kill you. If you chose hers..."_

_"Enough," he barked out, his voice silent with remembered agony. "I well remember that day, I don't need to recall it for your pleasure, Dr. Jackson."_

_"It gives me no pleasure to see you in pain, General."_

_"Well, it seems that you do know me. What can you tell me of the Goa'uld?"_

_"They are parasites and conquerors. But sending a bomb to Chulak will not help in your fight."_

_"How do you know about that?"_

_"Why else would you have me give you the address."_

_"I have to do something, Dr. Jackson."_

_"But sending a bomb to a peaceful planet will only increase their bloodlust. There is no strategic value in angering your enemy more." With a twisted grin, he added, "and I know you."_

_Silence greeted this pronouncement. "What would you have me do?" The question was as close to begging as this proud man would allow himself to reveal. Yet, he knew that the man before him held the answers, indefinite and impossible though they may be._

_"Let me ask you, which is better? To use what little windows you get to save people? Or retaliate against an enemy you cannot possibly hope to defeat without superior aid?" He stared at him, daring him to defy his words, knowing that he could not. "There is a second gate in Antarctica. How's that situation?"_

_"Can the gate be used if this one is?" he countered._

_"I don't know. What do you have to lose by trying?"_

_Giving him one last, searching look, General O'Neill left the room. There was something in his eyes that reminded Daniel of the look 'his' Jack got whenever he proposed something outrageous. But feasible. "Dr. Carter! Get that fiancé of yours up here, I have a question for him."_

_Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, things were looking up. But for how long_?

**Bleep**!

The linguist groaned and tried to burrow into the covers. Why did alarms always have to go off when dreams got interesting? When it wouldn't shut off, he pushed aside the covers and rose. Picking up his glasses, he stumbled into the shower to get ready for the day.

"Teal'c," he greeted the Jaffa as the man approached his table.

"DanielJackson," he returned the greeting.

"Uhm, after working with me for seven years, do you think you could just call me Daniel?"

The Jaffa gave the request some thought. "I shall endeavor to do so, DanielJack...Daniel."

"I would appreciate it," he solemnly replied. "Did I ever go into another reality?"

"You did. Several years ago, when the SGC was first being organized you found a quantum mirror and traveled through it. Once there, you found out that the Earth was under attack by Apophis and brought the news back to us. As well as the gate coordinates for where the attack originated from."

Daniel looked thoughtful, "and?"

"We were successful in our surgical attack upon them. This was a very good thing because it prevented Senator Kinsey from shutting down the program."

"What?" he gaped at him.

"I thought you had remembered all that had happened to you."

"Only the part about the other reality," he told him.

"Senator Kinsey didn't believe us about the threat. He proposed that the Goa'uld would leave us alone it the gate was buried," Sam said as she sat down.

"Is he an idiot?"

"Does that really require an answer?" she quipped. "What brought this on?"

"A memory of my trip through the mirror."

"Which time?" Janet asked, joining them.

"There was another time?"

Sam nodded. "The first time was your solo trip. The second, they actually came through to us but because of entropic cascade failure, they had to go back. You, Teal'c, and the colonel went to help them. I couldn't because it was my double who had come through and was sick."

Daniel nodded, listening to Sam. "Have we tried to do that again?"

"No. The chances of running into our enemies and the possibilities of ecf are too great in my opinion," the doctor told him. "Why?"

"No reason." But he had to wonder. If he went through, would he be able to find someone there who could clear up the confusion in his mind? Say, a still ascended Daniel? Or Jack, that'd be nice.

"How's Nigel?" Sam asked, turning the conversation to Janet's boyfriend, Nigel Bailey.

"He's fine. Still worried about the danger, but then, who isn't?" she spoke fondly of him.

"I believe that would be DanielJackson," Teal'c intoned.

"Hey!" he objected.

"I believe you are right about that," Sam said.

Though mildly offended, Daniel didn't really mind. To a certain extent, it was true, and their conversation ended with laughter.

6

Two days later, they returned from what he assumed was a routine mission. Biding Dr. Markov a good evening, he went into his office. Putting the final touches on his report, he wondered if he should take over the archaeology department. Then decided against it. Professor Fox and Mr. Bailey were handling things very well.

The same held true for the other departments, though Lieutenant O'Neill wanted him to take back the linguistics department. For some reason, the young man no longer felt capable of handling the job while he was there. While it was true he was more comfortable with many of the languages they encountered, the officer was doing a fine job.

Turning back to the report, he thought about the planet they'd just visited. Athenry was a planet worthy of further study. To bad he would be unable to go and observe the work there himself. Once that report was written, he reached for the journal of his first year and flipped through it until he reached the part dealing with the other reality.

_I don't understand why Jack doesn't believe me. What is so difficult to understand about what happened? I traveled through a mirror and ended up in another reality. How does he explain the wound that could only have been caused by a staff blast? They called through for aid. Jack, threaten to leave me though he may, that's something he would never do. So, they knew no Jaffa came through the gate. Or descended through the rings from their ships._

_Sometimes he can be so stubborn about what he doesn't understand-even after all we've seen. I often wonder how it is that we can stand to work together because I will admit to being as stubborn as he is. Well, I hope not as much as he is. I'd like to **think** that I'm more open minded and willing to learn from another's perspective._

_But at least he isn't like that snake in the grass, Senator Kinsey. The man gives off such a vibe of, I hesitate to say evil because he is no Goa'uld, but evil. Somehow, I must convince Jack that what I saw in that other world is real. I have to convince him that it is merely a reflection of what will happen here if we don't do something about it_.

Flipping through the pages, he found this entry:

_We saved the world, but at what cost? I died. Again. Jack has forbidden me to do it anymore, like I have any choice in the matter. It isn't like they ask me for permission or anything._

_I could see it in his eyes, the blame he felt for leaving me to watch their six. He doesn't seem to understand that I took it as a sign of his trust in me. Those eyes say more than he knows. At least, they do to me. I feel a deep regret that I forced him to chose between his convictions and the world. Leaving people behind is a literal blow to his soul, I know it has to do with Iraq. But he'll see, one day, that I was right. In the meantime, I'll take my lumps with grace because he won't let this drop._

_I foresee much mother henning over me in the future. Should I be more worried? In truth, I take it as a sign of his friendship. The colonel doesn't seem to realize that he isn't much of a closed book where I am concerned. Then again, neither am I where he is concerned. He said that I am his anam cara. Does that mean he is mine? Would he follow me blindly into Hell? Knowing Jack, it would be anyway but blindly. Yet he would, if I asked him._

_But, I do wonder, what kind of pedestrian nickname is Space Monkey_?

"Daniel, get some shut eye." Janet said from the door. "Have you stopped by the house?"

"House?" Glancing at her, there was a puzzled look on his face. References had been made to a house that he had when he was here before. "Wasn't it sold?"

"Oh, that's right. I didn't get a chance to tell you," she muttered. "The general cleared everything up. You're free to move about the country, as one of those annoying commercials says. Come on, I'll show you. And, no, we kept it."

Upon entering the house, Daniel was struck with a sense of homecoming. This was what had been missing from the base, the sense of belonging somewhere. Walking around, he barely acknowledged the doctor's presence. A framed picture drew his gaze. Abydos. All of the original team stood there, big smiles on all their faces-except for Jack's. He looked calm and somber.

Daniel remembered that day, it was before they had gone off to face Ra and Apophis. Kawalsky had wanted a picture to leave behind, to remind others that they had been there. A kind of testimony to the courage they had, a way to tell others that there was always a chance. Shortly after that, Daniel had jumped in front of a weapon and died in Jack's place.

"Are you all right?" Janet's voice broke into his thoughts.

He sniffed, "yeah. You better go, I know that Nigel was going to take you out."

"Call if you need a ride," she hesitated but his smile soothed her worries and she left.

Wandering around the room, he fingered items. In the corner, a harp stood. Curious, he walked over and fingered it. "This isn't mine," he murmured. The wire strings marked is as an older instrument and the form was definitely Celtic. Brushing his fingers across the strings, he was surprised when nothing happened.

'_Play it with your fingernails, Dannyboy_,' a voice seemed to speak into the silence.

Whirling about, he looked around.

No one was there. "Okay. That was weird." Exhaling a long breath, he decided to go to bed. In one of the boxes, he found a pair of pajamas. Taking them, he went upstairs. Standing in the master bedroom, he felt odd and trailed down the hall to the guest bedroom. It felt more like home and he settled down.

656

_"Are you sure you're all right?" He was worrying at his lower lip, trying to help Jack without appearing to do so._

_"That thing healed me, Daniel. I'll be fine once I've had a good night's sleep in my own bed." Jack exclaimed, exasperated. "Honestly, I am not an invalid."_

_"You were pined to a wall, Jack!"_

_"And now I'm not," he retorted, irritably._

_"We could've killed you!"_

_Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face Daniel. Placing his good arm around his shoulder, he forced the nervous movements to stop. "Stop it, Daniel. I will tell you what I told Carter, it was my choice to bring the ball home."_

_"On my recommendation."_

_"And Teal'c's and Carter's. We can't expect everything to be nice and cuddly, Daniel. To do so would be the ultimate in naiveté."_

_"But..."_

_"It's over, let it go. We saved the world and granted life to another," he reminded him. "Something that should be celebrated."_

_"I just feel so responsible."_

_Jack smiled a little, "yeah. Kinda like how I feel whenever we go out on missions and you or someone else gets hurt. Someone I should not have left alone to face the enemy."_

_"That's different," he scowled. "You couldn't know that they would come."_

_"Is it?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Then why do you think you should have known that the ball was alive?"_

_Daniel's mouth opened, then closed abruptly. "I get it, Jack, I get it."_

_"Good. Now, let's pop some corn and watch a movie."_

_"That isn't what Janet meant when she told you to get a good meal."_

_"Well, I won't say anything if you won't." With one more affectionate squeeze, he went into the den and sat down_.

The crash of a window shattering jolted Daniel from his sleep. Jerking upright, he glanced out the window and watched as the trees blew restlessly in the wind. Eerie shapes dashed all over the floor and he got out of bed. A vicious thunderstorm had come to their area.

Thunderstorms had never made him nervous until the sound of glass shattering reminded him of an arrow piercing their bulletproof glass. And Jack's arm. He shuddered at the memory, knowing it was something he recalled all on his own. That fear for Jack's safety and whether or not he'd still be able to travel with them.

Walking into the kitchen, he turned on the light and made some hot chocolate. Somewhere in the distance, an animal howled and he shivered, adding some brandy to the drink. After a moment of standing in the kitchen, feeling like a fool, he went into Jack's office.

The smell of dust hanging in the air made him sneeze, disturbing some papers. Looking around, he was surprised to see many pictures of SG-1 on their various missions. Studying them one by one, he stopped at the one of the totem. "Jack wasn't on that mission," he mused aloud, puzzled.

Then he remembered their guide, Tonani. Jack and he had hit it off. Before the spirits had left, he asked them for a little favor. They granted it once he explained that no harm would come to anyone and that they wouldn't take anything. Unfortunately, not even for a picture would Janet allow him to go. So, she went in lieu of him. He dropped the picture when a crash of thunder startled him.

Cursing, he picked up the pieces of glass and tossed them out. "Great going, Jackson. What'll Jack think when he returns to find that you've vandalized his things?" he muttered. Picking up the picture, he turned it over and read it. Of course, there was the date and mission number. Oddly enough, there was a note.

_Would've loved to see Carter's face when she saw the wolf. And had to talk to it_.

He smirked, remembering her face clearly. He'd tried to explain it to Jack but they'd decided it was something you had to see to believe. There was something about that particular mission that made him wonder. If Jack had been there, would he have believed Daniel when he told them what he heard the spirits say?

'_Of course. Those higher beings always liked you. Hah! With the exception of the ascendeds, who probably hated the light you shined on their hypocrisy that is_.' The voice sounded close, as though the speaker was in the room.

It was nice to think that the colonel would support him. All the same, Daniel knew that it was a futile thought. Privately, Jack might agree with him but publicly he would respond to his words with cynicism. That was just how it worked.

Daniel put the picture down, knowing that he wouldn't find anyone in the room with him. _May be staying at Jack's was a bad idea_. It seemed that his spirit could communicate with him in this place of comfort.

Then again, wasn't that what he had wanted?

6

"Dr. Jackson? This is Colonel Frank Cromwell. Colonel, you remember Dr. Jackson." General Hammond introduced them over the briefing table and watched as they shook hands. There was no sign that either man remembered each other. While that was true in Daniel's case, the general knew that the colonel recalled the young man with anything but fondness.

"I do indeed. How do you do?"

"Very well, Colonel. With all due respect, where's Sam?"

"Major Carter is visiting her father."

"But what about the mission to Noy Dresh'ca?" He asked, dismayed at the idea that it had been cancelled.

"Colonel Cromwell will be supervising your team."

"Very well," he said and began to brief them on what to expect. In his office, hours later, Daniel realized where he'd seen the Colonel before. _Great_, he thought, _I disliked him then. I don't care for him now and I've barely spent any time with him. How am I going to survive with the Captain America wannabe_?

'_You'll be fine, Danny. Teal'c will be with you_,' a familiar voice counseled.

'_Go away, Jack, I don't need you here right now. You hate him even more than I do_.'

'_Well, I have good reason. He manhandled Janet_.'

He rolled his eyes, '_he was looking for her military id_.'

'_He was feeling her up_,' he scoffed.

'_But he came through in the end, so why don't you let it go_?'

Silence greeted his words and Daniel knew that he was alone with his thoughts again. But he really needed to talk to someone about this. It could not possibly be normal. May be Jonas would be a good choice. Everyone else on base either feared Colonel O'Neill because of his reputation. Or they were to close to the man to handle such a discussion reasonably.

6

"Jonas, you can keep your spot with SG-1. I've only been back a few weeks and still feel lost with all that we do. You've earned your place with the first contact team. They need someone who knows what they are doing rather than a man whose still struggling to find himself."

"But, Dr. Jackson, I don't know the Unas like you do. I mean, you remember them, don't you?" he asked, worried.

"Yes," he cautiously answered.

"Then you are way beyond my own abilities, seems fitting somehow when I think of what people say of me. Besides, I like working with Major Connor's team. I don't feel like I'm filling in for someone whose shoes I'll never fit in comfortably." Jonas replied, slamming the door shut on his now empty locker. "Any luck?"

Though the sentence was unfinished, Daniel knew what he was asking about. Jonas had been nothing but helpful in his search for Jack. "Nothing. I'm beginning to believe that Martouf is correct, he's vanished off the planet. Which is entirely feasible considering how loved he is by the Asgard."

"I'm sorry. Does Dr. Fraiser know anything?"

Daniel shook his head, "even if she did, I'm not sure she'd tell me. She knows how much Jack values his privacy."

"When he hears you're back, he's sure to show up. I heard that he did that when they brought you and Teal'c back from Abydos," Jonas consoled him.

His grunt was non-committal as he rose to his feet. "I'm ready, I think."

656

A week after his successful negotiations with the Unas, SG-1 found themselves on a mission to help the Asgard. He wasn't sure how he felt upon finding out that Jack had spread the word that he was a '_pain_ _in the ass, but worth_ _it_', but it was comforting.

In a weird way. Like in someway, Jack was still there for him. As for the Asgard, he didn't know what to make of the situation.

Somehow, they seemed to be filling the place Jack that once had, though there seemed to be a distance now. Daniel couldn't quite remember but felt it had something to do with the lack of Thor as their main liaison.

Daniel found some time with Sam, feeling terrible about the way he had brought her pain by asking after Jack. And she seemed to be avoiding him ever since that discussion. "I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories." He figured it best to take the bull by the horns and address it right away. They were in one of the empty rooms on the shuttlecraft.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Daniel, I'm the one who should be sorry. You had no way of knowing what happened. I shouldn't have expected you to know what happened-no matter how telepathic your bond seemed to be."

"Still, I'm sorry." He waited to see if she had anything to add. When nothing else was forthcoming, he cleared his throat. "Exactly what are we to do?"

"We're going to see Heimdahl who will tell us where their liaison with the Pentagon is hiding."

"The Asgard have a Pentagon liaison? Since when?"

Sam shrugged helplessly. "Your guess is as good as mine, Daniel. This is the first time I've heard of this liaison's existence, though I would guess around the same time Dr. Gardner become our Tollan liaison. What I can't understand is why Major Davis never told us-even the general didn't know. I don't like this secrecy. How is Sarah anyway? She seemed rather quiet when she last visited."

He accepted this as her way of showing that there were no hard feelings between them. "She's still adjusting to everything, finds the Tollans absolutely fascinating. How did she get free from Osiris exactly? Sarah doesn't know and there was nothing in the mission logs about it."

"Shortly after your ascension, we went to rescue Heimdahl. From him we learned that Thor wasn't dead, merely captured. We were able to free him and take her captive, though we were to late to prevent some of the knowledge from being taken. If Colonel O'Neill hadn't insisted on leaving immediately, we would have missed them. Anubis would have gotten all the knowledge Thor had and, most likely, Heimdahl in the process." There was an accepting tone in her voice that allowed Daniel to feel okay with asking for more information.

"I thought he left after I ascended?"

"Freyr arrived and sealed off the base before he did, like before when they needed our help against the replicators attacking one of their worlds. It's almost frightening to think that the Goa'uld could have gotten those abilities. General Hammond didn't want us to go without more specifics but..."

"Let me guess, Jack was going with or without help," Daniel finished.

The major nodded, "Teal'c would have followed him."

"Not surprising," he rose when they saw Martouf in the doorway.

"Where are we going?" Sam followed him out of the shuttlecraft. Daniel glanced around; they had landed in a half circle of mountains. On the other side, a body of water flowed in and out with the tide. He hesitated to classify it as an ocean because it seemed shallower than a large body of water should be.

"To see Heimdahl. He has news from Thor and will tell us about the liaison." He waited for them to stand with him before activating the rings with his hand device. "Congratulations on your successful negotiations, Dr. Jackson."

"Thanks, and its Daniel, remember?"

"I am not the one with the lax memory, Daniel."

"Did I say you were?" he teased. "Have they been of aid?"

Martouf nodded, his hand resting surreptitiously on Sam's back. She leaned into it, slightly. But her slip was only momentary. She was, after all, the leader of this mission. "They free us for our other work, for which we are truly thankful. We would also appreciate any help Dr. Gardner can offer to us."

"I'll ask but I doubt she will willingly relive those experiences. They've left deep scars on her psyche." As grateful as he was to have her back, her recalcitrant behavior towards facing what happened to her was troublesome. He felt unequal to the task of helping her accept and deal with what occurred because she wouldn't admit to it.

"I understand. Teal'c, how is the tritonin working for you?"

"It has been an adjustment. I find it, at times, most difficult."

"Do you want to go back to your symbiote then?" Martouf asked, puzzled.

Teal'c's head tilted, thinking over his answer. "At one time, I wished to do so for I missed what I once had with its aid. But after talking to Master Bre'tac, I have changed my mind. It may be hard and I do miss 'junior' but, it decreases my vulnerability. I no longer have to worry about it or what might damage it. My symbiote had made me dependent on its presence. I have had to learn another way to be a warrior. A better way."

"How so?"

"I cannot just use my strength, I must also use my mind and heart when engaged in battle. So comfortable with my symbiote I had become that I forgot that most important philosophy of the warrior. Of all the muscles a warrior has, it is the heart that is the most powerful muscle of all. If that is not engaged, then you have nothing."

Martouf nodded, "every time I speak to you, I am amazed by the depth of your wisdom."

"I have enjoyed our conversations as well."

"Greetings, SG-1," Heimdahl saluted them. "Martouf, I forgot that you are traveling with them now, forgive me my lapse. And where is Dr. Markov?"

"Noting to forgive, Heimdahl. She is lecturing at the university. This is Dr. Daniel Jackson, I do not believe you have had the privilege of meeting him."

"I am honored to meet you at last, O'Neill speaks highly of you. It is a pleasure to see that he wasn't exaggerating. You are all that I've heard, I can tell by looking at you." Heimdahl enthusiastically grasped his hand, shaking it. "You are welcome to visit me and discuss science at any time. It is a fascinating subject that we can discuss at length."

"Uhm, thank you." He'd been warned of the Asgard's unusual spryness but still, he wasn't quite what the linguist had expected.

"I am sure you wish to be on your way, Major Carter." There was a sound of resignation in the voice that touched Daniel but he was grateful that the conversation had turned away from him.

"Yes, but first, what is Thor's news?" Sam asked, curious as to how the Asgard was doing now that they rarely saw him. Though she hadn't known him as the Colonel had, she was fond of him.

"He seems to think that he has found a possible solution to Anubis' brain probes. For now, the best protection seems to be a strong will." Heimdahl paused, almost expecting Major Carter to ask questions and sighed when she didn't. The most unfortunate thing about O'Neill's departure was that it had necessitated in the removal of the scientist from the officer. "Our liaison does not know you are coming. This is her, and where she is."

He moved one of their spheres across a panel and it glowed to life before removing it. Placing it on the ground in their midst, it blinked to life and a series of star charts and maps appeared in startling clarity, flying by faster than their eyes could follow. Focusing on one of the systems, it exposed the planet in vibrant three-dimensional reality. One feature stood out above all others, a temple complex in what seemed to be an Egyptian and Hellenistic Greek style.

"Heracleion," Daniel breathed. "Am I correct in assuming that we are going to a world where Ra is still considered a god?" His eyes were still wide, still studying the structure, long sought for but never found. Now, attention was being directed to the waters it rested upon. The device showed many worshippers as it entered the building.

The Asgard's head bowed. "Indeed. Antiam is there, having retrieved a few things for us."

"Things? Such as what, Heimdahl?" Carter asked, suspiciously. This mission was becoming more dangerous than previously anticipated. "We thought we were only helping someone out, not stealing something from its rightful owners. I'll need to consult with the General before I agree to do anything."

_Jack would do it_, Daniel thought rebelliously, smacking himself for thinking such a disloyal thing. He didn't even remember the other man. Not exactly. And what he did know came through his journals' words, for crying out loud. Time and situation could have added a bias to his writings and memories.

"But, Major Carter, what you are retrieving belongs to us. The Ancients left them to us. Ra stole them to try and learn of their secrets. We were unable to destroy them as ordered before he attacked us."

"Why didn't you defend yourselves?"

"You must understand that this happened after the loss of the Ancients. The Nox were withdrawing to their own world, for reasons unknown to us. As for the Furlings, they were dealing with their own plague. Except, unlike the other races, they tried to help us out. It was not enough. Our strength was in an alliance that was quickly falling apart. We did not have the ability to fight back with the strength we needed, we could only retreat."

"Still, I don't think we can just rush in like this. We might be able to arrange for diplomatic relations and save Antiam that way."

Heimdahl's head shook, sadly and informed them. "Antiam does not have the time. She is in hiding from the leader-a man you have called Pharaoh in your past. He wants to add her to his vast collection of wives and concubines. This man either knows who she is. Or he suspects it. We cannot take the chance of either her or the items falling into his hands. He may even decide it best to turn her over to the Goa'uld System Lords."

Daniel grasped the implications. "He'd be able to use what she knows. Even if we managed to free her, there would be some kind of tracer on her."

"Yes. One which we would not be able to properly remove because the markers are applied to different locations in various ways. Sometimes it can be obvious, thus be harder to remove. Other times, they have been subtle in matching the place they are hidden in. Once, they were woven into each individual hair strand. This happened to another of our agents, we have a few of them now because of Antiam." Heimdahl reassured them, "you would not know of this person, though you would know of the one who captured him."

"Is this Pharaoh a Goa'uld?" Martouf asked, worried.

"No. It is a child of a union between an Ancient and a Nox. The child is evil. Unfortunately. We prefer the children of mixed unions to be amoral," he seemed to sigh. "They are easier to manage."

"This person who captured your other agent, will we have to worry about him?"

"Aris Boch? No, he has become a valuable ally to us. Loki has been trying to cure his people from their addiction to the drug that Major Carter procured for us." Heimdahl answered Teal'c's question.

"Sam, I'll go on my own if you don't want to. There isn't much General Hammond can do to me for disobeying your directive. And if Anubis were to find her on this planet, think of what we discussed and what he could do. What he gains from her mind." Daniel finally turned away from his study of the liaison and waited for her decision.

"I shall accompany Daniel," Teal'c proclaimed.

"Samantha," Martouf began but her sigh stopped him.

"We'll go. But we'll need some supplies," she added and turned to the Asgard, who merely moved one of the dials.

A far wall shifted open and revealed a room full of weapons. Another panel slid open and revealed food packs and medical kits. "Feel free to chose from Antiam's stores. She has used many of these weapons on her missions and found them more than satisfactory. There are more in the next chamber, as well as changes in clothing, if you don't find anything suitable."

Once they had armed themselves and got the kits they needed, they went into the main room and noticed that Heimdahl was gone. After talking for a moment, they headed for the shuttle, figuring that he'd gone to deal with some Asgard business. Ringing up, they were pleasantly surprised to find him waiting for them there.

"What's going on? Are you to travel with us?" Sam asked, noting that the hatch was open.

Heimdahl's head shook. "I have outfitted your vessel with shields and a cloak that you may turn on before you leave hyper space. Use it with caution, though, it is still in its elementary state. With these modifications, you should allow you to get close to the complex. I have also left you a scanner so that you may find Antiam and see any possible threats from any location."

"That is most generous," Carter began.

"This is a small payment in comparison to what we owe you," Heimdahl humbly replied.

"Thank you," Martouf smiled and followed Carter and Teal'c into the pel'tac.

"Dr. Jackson?"

"Yes?" he turned, looking at the scientist curiously.

He handed the globe over to him, showing him how to activate it. "You will need this. Antiam will not believe we have sent you. While a suspicious mind is necessary in her line of work, it is inconvenient at times. Be careful."

"We will," he said and accepted it, disappearing into the shuttle's depths.

"I still don't like this," Sam's comment was directed at Daniel.

"Have the Asgard ever let us down?" he asked.

"Of all our allies, they have come through for us the most," she reluctantly admitted.

"Then shouldn't we trust them? Heimdahl has protected us as best as he could. We have the skills necessary to improvise. I doubt they'd send us to someone they don't trust. Besides, there is something familiar about her," he said that last part to himself. The last thing he need was for Sam to think he was letting what women called the man's other brain think for him.

But it wasn't a feeling of desire he felt looking at her, more the sensation of knowing that person.

It was the way the head angled while listening for something that jarred his memory, it was way to familiar to be commonplace with other people. Shaking himself sternly, he turned back to her. "As for Heracleion, it's a temple complex with an attached city. We should be able to procure disguises and get inside, if necessary."

Sam nodded, her mind already spinning with possibilities. But nothing was certain until they actually saw the place. Good as the Asgard device was at creating three-dimensional objects, it paled when compared to the real deal. "Open up that chart again, would you?"

Later, as he was resting, trying to relax so that he'd be at his best, he found he couldn't. Failing to relax, he decided to meditate. It had helped before when the chaos of his mind required some kind of steadying hand to help. Eyes closed, hands folded, and himself in a relaxed position, he concentrated on his breathing. Listening to his every inhalation and exhalation, he marveled at how his breathing obeyed only its own dictates and ignored all else to find a pattern of its own.

End, Act 17.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_The door seemed to slam and Jack jumped up, heart racing. Seeing Daniel standing there, he scowled at him. "Mercy, must you do that? Aren't you energy now? You know, where things go through you, like my shoe," he snarkily reminded him._

_"Too close, Jack. That crazy man…how could he do that to you? How could he attack you after he'd seen what you endured at Ba'al's hands? Wasn't it bad enough that he'd attacked you before? When you were in a weakened state from the seeing? If he hadn't done that, that rotten snake wouldn't have been able to take control of you. I can't believe how close that…that…that Murdock got to…to," he sank down onto the bed._

_"I'm fine," he soothed._

_"YOU AREN'T FINE, JACK! YOU WERE NEARLY KILLED BY THAT MANIAC! TWICE!" he yelled, eyes flashing angrily._

_"Oh, now you care," he snipped._

_Daniel stared at him, shocked by the slight venom he heard in the voice. "Of course I care."_

_"Thanks for telling me. After what happened at Ba'al's, I wasn't sure." It was a cruel thing to say and Jack knew it. But he couldn't stop the words from coming._

_"I offered you ascension," he reminded him._

_"Daniel you know me better than anyone else ever has in any of my lives. Could you see me not meddling when the Goa'uld killed, destroyed, and enslaved people? No matter the reason given for inaction? Could you honestly see me not doing a thing? Which, by the way, equates with agreeing to their actions in my book."_

_"You could've tried. I know you've done it before." He pointed out, reminding him of the whole debacle with the rogue NID._

_"No, Daniel, I couldn't. To do so would be to lie about who and what I am. The NID situation was different because of my motivations-to serve and protect all who require it. I cannot do that if I have to obey fearful idiots who have forgotten who they are and why they were able to ascend in the first place." He got up and paced the small room before walking to the window, leaning against its cold glass._

_"Jack, just because we have all these powers doesn't mean we should interfere anytime things go wrong in the world." Daniel sounded exasperated. "I've told you this before."_

_"See, I don't get that. There are more ways to solve things than weapons. You keep teaching us that and, though I've had trouble in the past year or so in remembering that, you have never forgotten that. Your way has repeatedly been at odds with the military-but it has frequently been the best way."_

"_But you think I'm being hypocritical," he said sadly. "Because I obey them."_

"_Not true. I think you want to not exist so badly that you are following them even when you know its wrong," he retorted._

"_I want to exist," he protested._

"_No, you don't. Since that number your grandfather did on you, you don't want to be really seen. You hide behind your work or other things. The one time you had something to say, something that really mattered, you were shot down. I don't know all the reasons, but I know this. You, Dr. Daniel Jackson, don't wish to be seen. It's why you don't truly see all that you've accomplished, Danny."_

"_That's not true, Jack." Wrapping his arms around his waist, he walked away from him._

_Jack ran a hand through his hair, suddenly weary of the never-ending war of trying to get his friend to see his own worth. "It doesn't matter anyway. That sarcophagus killed my control over this form. I'll have to do something different with myself in order to recuperate."_

_"What do you mean?" He sounded fearful, moving towards Jack again. Was everything they had gone through for naught? Was he now condemned to die because of his stubborn refusal to accept the offered aid earlier?_

_Daniel refused to suggest ascension again, knowing it would be refused._

_Jack studied him before turning to face the window. "I don't know how I know this but being a furling means that the body and soul are one and the same. So, in the process of destroying my soul, it also destroyed my physical body. I'm lucky in that the Ancient blood I have slowed down the decaying process but if you hadn't interfered when you did, I would've had to change forms in order to stay alive. And then Ba'al would know the truth. He would no longer care why I came to his fortress, he would want to know everything I know. The torture would've stopped, at least the ones that would bring me to need the healing power of the sarcophagus."_

_"How do you know this?"_

_An acrimonious laugh escaped his lips. "You can't honestly think that this is the first time this has happened to me. How naïve are you, Danny?"_

_"Who?"_

_"Seti," he blandly replied. "Or, if you prefer, Seth."_

_Daniel's eyes widened, a memory of the Goa'uld came to mind. "I knew I hadn't imagined him asking you if he knew you."_

"Daniel, wake up." Sam shook his shoulder, breaking into the dream. "We're here."

The linguist bit back an angry retort that she had disturbed him. Sam had no way of knowing what had transpired in his mind. As far as she knew, he had been asleep. But he hadn't been, not really.

He knew that that was not just a dream. It was a memory from his time as an ascended being.

And, he felt so close to figuring out something about Jack and where he might be. What had he said about Ba'al? The Furlings and the Ancients? Now that he was awake, the details were slipping through his fingers like water.

SG-1 walked into the bazaar. It was early enough that the place was deserted but there were signs of life in some of the buildings. Grabbing robes, they casually made their way towards the complex, looking about.

Once they had ascertained that the Pharaoh would arrive to inspect his latest gift, they made their way back to the ship.

"Daniel, we're going to need you to stay here and relay any danger heading our way."

"Sam, I appreciate your concern. Really, I do, but I speak the language. I know the complex from archaeological explorations. I know the customs and the beliefs of these people. Even with Jolinar's active participation, you do not. And, with all due respect, you are a beautiful woman. If the Pharaoh were to see you, he would desire you. Then we would be in the exact same position we are in now."

"I do not need to be reminded of the dangers, Dr. Jackson. I have been trained to deal with them."

"This is different, Sam. Jack would never have given such an order. He knew that his best choices were to keep those in the field who had what he needed with him. Though he may have felt otherwise, he never let emotion guide his decisions while on a mission," he spat at her. "That was low," he quickly recanted.

"But accurate," she sighed. "I cannot allow you to go while I stay in safety. We just got you back from the great beyond. I don't want to lose you again."

"So, you will go in disguise as Jolinar has," Martouf said. "I shall stay and keep my eyes on you."

"I do not believe it should be you. As much as I wish to be a part of this mission, my emblem is not easy to cover. Upon entering the temple, I would be required to uncover my head to show respect for the god. As many would recognize the symbol of Apophis, I would be singled out and you would be in danger. They would see me only as the servant to their god's enemy. I shall stay and watch your backs." Teal'c spoke to them calmly, with the quiet dignity of his race.

"Are you sure?" Martouf asked, even as he prepared to leave with Sam and Daniel.

"There will be other missions."

"All right. Let's do this," Sam sighed, still feeling uncomfortable.

Entering one of the rooms, she sighed and sat down. Before her was a kit that Jolinar had used to disguise herself numerous times. _I don't even know what I'm doing. Half of this stuff, I've never seen before_.

_I do. These make-ups have saved my life on numerous occasions. Go with the gold foundation and overlay it with the bronze. It will change the tenor of your skin and make it easier to blend in_.

_What of these_? She gestured to the small discs in one of the smaller cases. _They remind me of contact lenses_.

_In a sense, that is what they are. Except there is no device to detect them and they melt into your eye, changing not only the color but the shape_.

_How would I take them out_?

She sighed. _Unfortunately, they can only be used once. They will dissolve into your body's chemistry after a week. There is no way to avoid that if we want to achieve a new image_.

_Hmmmm, I suppose it would be fun to have brown eyes for once. What of my hair_?

_There is a semi-permanent dye. It washes out after a few weeks_.

_Then I shall be blonde no longer-does it leave residual traces like our dyes_?

_Not at all_.

656

Daniel walked down the hall, conscious of Sam and Martouf's eyes on him. At one of the doors, he stopped and studied the language written on and above the door. The key was hidden somewhere behind the text, but he didn't have time to study it fully. Four Jaffa were approaching them.

"Got it," he hissed and as he fitted the key into the door they joined him and dashed inside the darkened room. Folding the door behind them, Sam kept it open a crack and watched them pass by.

"Back again, are we? Did you lose your way?" An aristocratic voice startled them and they stayed silent, unable to think of a suitable reply. "I already told that pampered peacock that I have no intention of yielding to his whims. Still, he persists in this charade of courtship. Well? What is your threat?" she paused.

"Oh, excuse me. I got the word wrong. Your incentive to join in such a blessed union?" she sarcastically asked.

Daniel shook his head, regaining his voice. Approaching the silver haired woman, he spoke quietly and calmly. "No. Heimdahl sent us to rescue you." Inside, that feeling of recognition resonated even stronger.

Her eyebrow rose skeptically and she turned away from her study of the wall to stare at them impassively. "You?"

"Yes, us. Either believe us or not. But we have come to get you out of here," Sam snapped, stung by the attitude she displayed. It was like the ambassador thought they were a joke, though she obviously knew of them. "Do you think we do this kind of thing for fun?"

"Since I'm guessing that you're SG-1, I'd say that, yes, you do." Interrupting her, Daniel tossed her the globe he carried. For a prisoner, there didn't seem to be anything holding her captive. It slipped through her unprepared hands and she bent down to pick it up. Thor appeared, Antiam listened to him.

"One question, Einstein. Any ideas on how to get this off?" They saw then how she was being held. A collar around her neck kept her in place by means of a thick chain.

"Daniel, the door," Jolinar moved past him. Pulling a lock pick set out of hiding, she set to trying to pick the complicated lock.

"MajorCarter, there are some Jaffa headed your way. Across the hall, another group approaches to clear the path for the Pharaoh. He and his advisors seem to be walking up the stairs. I shall endeavor to stall them."

"Teal'c, could you get a fix on this lock. I seem to be unable to free it," she tersely said.

"I find that I am unable to do so, MajorCarter."

"Long shot anyway," Jolinar muttered. After a few agonizing moments, there was a satisfying click and the collar came free. Antiam removed it and let it fall, catching it before it hit the wall so that it would not clang loudly. Though the Jaffa would find them missing, it wouldn't do to alert them now. "We were warned that they might try to...mark you in some way."

Her head shook in answer to the unspoken question. "When they caught me, they couldn't do it because the timing was wrong for the rituals. Something to do with the sun and its proper cycle. They need the blessings of Ra to make such markings prosper. Honestly I didn't care to listen. For the first time in my life, I felt thankful for the blind devotion people have in their gods. False or not." This was said as they made their way down one of the halls. "There's a panel that should open and let us into another section of the temple."

Daniel nodded, already knowing this. "There," he went right to it and opened it. Stepping in, they passed through the darkness, following after him. With his hand on the hall, he read the text and made a sharp turn left. "Staircase," he answered the unspoken question.

"I need to get back into the temple's annex," Antiam hissed.

Nodding that he understood, he continued on the path down into the dark. Translating another panel, he made another sharp turn left and they went down a hall before he contacted Teal'c. "How are we doing?"

"There is no one down that pathway." He answered after checking the information the computer spat out at him.

"Have they discovered that Antiam is missing?"

"They have not, Martouf. I created an illusion for them. They believe that the passages are being blocked by furniture and damaged statues of the patrons to the god. But it will not hold their attention for long. They have already summoned aid."

"Very well." Taking a deep breath, Daniel opened the door and glanced around the room cautiously. "Go to the statue of Ra." Moving it aside, they revealed more stairs-and more darkness.

"This leads?" Sam asked, eyeing it doubtfully.

"To the temple annex," Daniel replied, leading the way.

The statue sealed behind them when the linguist twisted the scarab on the wall. Antiam popped the ball and passed it up to him. "Direct line to what Master Teal'c's seeing." She explained at the questioning look exposed by the dim light emanating from the globe.

"We need to speed up. They've discovered your disappearance."

"Do not worry. I am blocking their alarm calls." Teal'c's calm voice carried through the dim room.

"And the Jaffa?"

"Are being distracted, MajorCarter." There was a pause, he sounded calm. "But I am afraid that I may be discovered by them soon."

"Understood," Sam said, "well?"

"The annex is near a stone garden, correct?"

"I believe so. Why?" Daniel asked.

"Have Master Teal'c go there, no one uses it. Just don't land, the place is bobby trapped."

"Very well. Will you be able to find it?" Sam asked.

"I have a lock on it already."

Emerging into the open once more, Antiam took a moment to dash off and grab the items she'd carefully hidden. Upon their questioning look, she answered, knowing that she had no other choice really. If they were to trust her, she needed to extend her own hand out to them in good faith.

"This is where I spent most of my time hiding, though I did hang out with Aris Boch for a bit. He's always good for a few laughs, drinks too. It was here that I called Freyr. I tried to escape through that tunnel when they entered the room. Unfortunately, this time, I was much to slow."

Receiving the all clear from Teal'c, Daniel led the way with Carter guarding their six. The rings descended and pulled them up into the ship. "Punch it, Teal'c," she spat out the order once they were inside the vessel.

Antiam approached Martouf, a canopic jar in her hand. "I believe that this should help alleviate much of your sufferings."

He warily accepted it, looking over it carefully. His eyes widened as he focused, then processed the script on it:

_'Oshun.  
Great Mother and Sister of the Queen Egeria.  
Imprisoned for Eternity for subversive actions taken against the great god, Shango.  
Protected and hidden by the hand of the Morrigan._'

"A Tok'Ra Queen," he breathed. "We thought Egeria to be our only queen, though we have come to know Ama-Terasu well since her expulsion from Lord Yu's side."

Antiam answered him. "Though not as prolific as the Goa'uld, more Tok'Ra queens existed than Egeria. The seal is unbroken. I am sure you will know how best to help her."

"Why don't you go lie down, Antiam? We won't be near Heimdahl's location for a few hours," Daniel suggested, taking in her tired face with concern. It was odd that they couldn't quite see her, as though a veil of protection rested over her.

"I am rather tired," her raised eyebrow asked the question of who they all were, though she must've known already.

"She's Major Samantha Carter, sometimes Jolinar Monkshur, and he is Martouf. Our pilot is Master Teal'c, as you heard. And I am Dr. Daniel Jackson," he finished the introductions with a tired smile. This day had been more draining than he'd expected. And, looking at Sam and Martouf, he could see they felt the same way.

"Aren't you supposed to be an ascended being?" she asked, studying him carefully.

"I guess I broke their rules," he shrugged off her inquiring look. There was no rudeness in it. Nor curiosity, like he had received from others. It was more concern for him, how he was doing. But how could that be? They had just met. "If you would follow me, I'll show you a place to sleep."

Saying nothing at the change in subject, she followed him, saying to Teal'c as she passed him. "Nice work, Master Teal'c. I appreciate the help."

His look on her was intent, studious. This was alarming but not unexpected. It was a hazard when dealing with the Jaffa and their senses. If he suspected the truth, she'd take him into her confidence.

Something she did not look forward to because that would mean telling Daniel. For she couldn't tell one and not the other.

"You are welcome, Ambassador Antiam," he replied, face grave. "It was no trouble to assist you when the Asgard have done so much for us."

"It's just Antiam," she smiled guardedly. Though not quite relaxed by his attitude, some of her suspicions faded. He wouldn't say anything, therefore, she was safe. "Thanks."

Hours later, she emerged from the storage room to find Daniel and Martouf pouring over the script on the jar. It was like they couldn't believe that it was for real. She shook her head, may be she should also give them the scrolls she'd found in the room with it. But then, they weren't hers to give.

Carter sat at the controls and she looked around curiously. "Where's Master Teal'c?

"Resting." Carter replied, her own face revealed her weariness.

"Why? Isn't he Jaffa?"

"The loss of his symbiote affected him. He needs to rest like the rest of us."

Antiam sat down, itching to take over the controls. "Are the coordinates already set?"

She nodded, "why?"

"I'll take control, you should get some rest. Ah-ah-ah!" Her finger raised and she shook it at her. "Consider it an order from the Pentagon."

The officer was too weary to argue, even her symbiote was feeling the burn as the day's activities caught up with them. She got up and stumbled from the room, hoping that she would be able to rest. It seemed like her head had just hit the pillow when Martouf shook her shoulder. "Samantha, we are here."

She stretched and yawned. "Martouf, you can use contractions, you know. It won't create an intergalactic incident. Or throw off the balance of the force." The major swayed on the bed, valiantly trying to remain upright, though she honestly gave a rat's ass about staying up.

Concerned by her apparent inability to focus on him, he asked. "Are you all right?"

"Tired. I'm so tired." She admitted to him, waving her hand wildly around in a vague pattern. "It's just to much." Burying her head in his stomach, she mewled in despair when he moved away. She was relieved to find him sitting next to her.

"Samantha," he sat down, pulling her into a warm embrace. Her head rested on his shoulder, instead of pulling back as usual on missions. "You can do this, I do not doubt you."

"Martouf, I want to go home. See dad, forget the Goa'uld exist for a while. How did the colonel do this?" she asked.

"With Daniel's help," he automatically answered. _This must be the burnout that Jacob mentioned as being common among the Tua'ri_, he thought. "Then we shall take a vacation as soon as we are able to get away from work. I know of a place where they are not allowed, much like Cimmeria is, only different. After we have seen your father, we will go. Unless you would like him to come with us as well?" he made the last statement a question.

Pulling back, she smiled seductively.

It should have looked drunken but he found it endearingly cute. But he would never be able to tell her that. Tua'ri women were odd about such things, often seeing the term cute as an insult rather than a term of endearment. "I'd like that. But I don't need my dad to chaperon us. I trust you."

656

"Antiam, I am pleased to see you looking so well."

"Thank SG-1 for that, Freyr. What's wrong?" She asked, realizing that it was, indeed, the second in command of the Asgard's fleets.

"You have the information?"

"Yes," she answered, baffled by the lack of answer. They had never before kept anything from her but she could see no real reason to press and handed it over. Loki took it and walked away, inputting the information into one of the consoles. "What's going on?"

"You must return to Earth with SG-1 for a time, Antiam. We have thought long and hard about this. Though it is a request, it is not a debatable decision. Do you understand?"

"Can I not go to Cimmeria?"

"No. We need you to establish a better relationship with Stargate Command." Thor announced his presence with the simple authority that Antiam envied, yet responded to. "It is important to us, Antiam."

"You're the boss, Boss," she sighed. "May I be permitted to change, have a shower, and pack first?"

"There is your bag. Your shower will have to wait."

"Thank you, Loki. Your concern for my welfare is...under whelming," she frowned, then picked up the bag and turned to face SG-1. "Well?" She directed her question at Daniel, the one least likely to be upset by the turn of events. She knew that Major Carter was prickly about her, and Martouf and Master Teal'c were waiting to decide about her.

656

Working together, Sam and Daniel pieced together a mission report that would pass intense inspection. Daniel was given the task of introducing Antiam to General Hammond. Though again the doctor found himself wondering why the head of the SGC didn't know her already since she was from the Pentagon.

Or was she? Sam had thought it strange that none of them knew of her existence until this mission came along. Still, why would the Asgard lie about her?

Following a relatively painless interview, they went to the Infirmary for a check-up. Leaving her in the care of Doctor Warner, he went to see Janet. Taking a look at the doctor, he wondered if he'd be better off with him. At least Warner didn't treat him like he was going to disappear again.

"Where's Sam and Teal'c?" Daniel asked, waiting to be dismissed.

"They've been and gone, Sam especially anxious to leave. Apparently, General Hammond says that if her report is given to him before the day is over, you all will have a whole three weeks of uninterrupted downtime." She accepted the folder from the nurse with a smile of thanks, "why?"

"Sam seemed tired. So did Teal'c, though I am no judge of his physiology," he shrugged.

"They were. Sam may have been ready to lead, but Colonel O'Neill's departure threw her into it at a bad time. I don't think she's had the chance to recover from that chaos. It took her a few month to get your departments settled and for General Hammond to appoint a new second in command. Luckily, Martouf is getting her away from it everything." A frown formed on her face as she studied the charts. _What the devil_? she thought.

"Everything okay?" he asked, concern coming to the front automatically.

"With you, yes. But the Pentagon's liaison's results are...troubling." She smiled, snapping the folder shut when he tried to peak at it. "You're free to go, Daniel. I'll see you in three weeks. And if you don't leave the base, I will use the big needles on you. Remember, I have spies everywhere and they all watch you."

He laughed, knowing the truth behind her little joke. "I plan to, Janet. The lawyers have been on my case lately to do something about the house that Jack and I shared. I guess my moving back in didn't show them that I wanted to keep the place. Why didn't Teal'c move in anyway?"

"He felt that it would be a violation of trust," she shrugged. "And Drey'ac didn't want to move here, she said she didn't feel comfortable on Earth."

"That makes sense, I mean her only real connection with Earth is the personnel of the SGC."

"True. It would've gotten Senator Kinsey on our case, even more than usual," she snorted at the mention of the man. "Seems the family man objects to having families be together."

Daniel shook his head, "the more I hear about him, the less I like him."

She chuckled, "no one likes him, Daniel. What then?"

"Then I plan to leave, see more of this world of ours. May be visit some old stopping grounds-especially those that Jack and I went to."

"Daniel, stop trying to find him," Janet sighed, letting him know that she was aware of his actions.

"Then help me," he pleaded.

"If he wanted to be found, he would have shown up by now. Leave it be," she turned away from his begging eyes.

"I can't. Jack O'Neill holds the key to releasing all the stuff trapped in here," he replied, tapping his head. He left in search of food and Sam, not necessarily in that order.

One of the men, a Sergeant Siler, handed him some notes from Sam. Reading them, he wondered why she'd done this. They had already talked about what would go in their reports. This seemed to be an insult to his intelligence.

But it had been his first team mission serving in a different capacity than diplomat. This was his first offensive mission, so may be he'd follow her outline. Nevertheless it irked him that she wanted him to toe the military line.

And that just wasn't who he was. This one thing he knew with utmost certainty.

From all he'd seen, most of the civilians around here seemed to go along with whatever their team leaders alleged. He might speak up more as he stood equally with the leaders, though Professor Fox and Dr. Sandburg spoke up often, so he wasn't the only one any more.

Nevertheless, he realized that he should pick his battles with Major Carter carefully. Yes, it had worked out this time but it could cause problems if he continued to do so. Problems she could ill afford right now.

In fact, it had probably caused problems for Jack but somehow that was different. The colonel thrived on them. Besides, their dynamic was unusual because of their unorthodox relationship, that of friends and colleagues. Jack needed him to get into his face, to question and challenge his single minded, military first decisions. Otherwise, he'd go in guns blazing and get a lot of people killed unnecessarily.

And it wasn't as if he was the only one pushing buttons in their partnership. Jack did a fair share of pushing and poking to. They were equals.

Sam and he both had the mindset of a scientist. Even so, she was military. He needed to point out another path to her. More so now than before because she didn't have the luxury to rely on another leader making the choice and studying things out in her mind.

May be even a better one than they'd started out with. It was his job, after all. Wasn't it?

"Dr. Jackson?" He turned at the voice pulling him from his thoughts and smiled as Dr. Sandburg caught up with him. "Just return from a mission?"

"Yes. We brought back the Pentagon's liaison with the Asgard. She insists that the title of ambassador is not for her though," he grinned.

"Ambassador to the Asgard? I've never heard of her."

"You're not the only one," Daniel remarked. "Its really odd that she sprung up from nowhere."

"Not having as much experience as you do with the Asgard, I can't help but agree with you about the timing. What's the ambassador like?"

"I don't know. She seemed open enough, but there was something about her that spoke of deep secrets. Could be the job," he changed the subject. "So, what do you need?"

"Company," he said, allowing the change and guided them down the hall. "Jim's with Teal'c."

"How is that working out?"

"You mean Jim's sentinel senses?" At Daniel's nod, he shrugged. "Sometimes its bad, sometimes its good. The worst was the first time we saw the gate."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever read my paper?"

Thinking over a lot of the things he'd reviewed in the past few weeks, he suddenly remembered the paper that they were required to read. "Zone out?"

"Zone out," he agreed with the guess. "We had been so worried about Jim feeling the cold and having it cling to him, we had forgotten about the risk of him overloading on sight. But upon seeing the wavy, flowing blue in the circle, Jim stared at it, immobile. It took me a few minutes to bring him back to himself. So, we got to spend several days working on this problem by exposing him to the event horizon in small doses and increased it until he could handle it without strain."

"Desensitization," he surmised.

"Exactly," Blair agreed. "We're still finding new limits to his abilities. A Goa'uld torture device will zone him, even if he turns his senses off completely. He and Teal'c both meditate before missions, it helps him get centered. I almost feel envious of Teal'c; I've been trying to get him to try that for years. But then I remember what he's done for me, how he's helped me."

"Why do you mean?"

Blair looked a bit self-conscious, "Jim has been a sort of holy grail to me. From the first time I read about sentinels in Sir Richard Burton's book, I wanted to meet one. When I finally did, I went a little overboard with him. In the first few weeks after we got met, though I tried to help him, I could only enthuse about him and his specialness. About how thrilled I would be if someone were to write a paper on me. I never really _saw_ him as a person dealing with something that removed from him his control over his own body."

"That must have been tough on the both of you," Daniel commented sympathetically. He knew what it was like to find out that your dream was the truth. The euphoria could sometimes carry him away into ignoring how others felt.

"You sound like you know what I'm talking about," he observed. "Remembering something?"

"No. But I spend a lot of time reading my own journals, hoping something will kick me. So, Teal'c and you?"

"He is very good at teaching me to see Jim as Jim. Yes, he is gifted. Yes, he is special. But he is just a guy," he smiled. "Tea?"

"More of a coffee guy," Daniel replied. Getting some food and their desired beverage, they chose a spot in the back of the commissary. Around them, the pleasant chatter flowed, creating a relaxed atmosphere. "So, why did you guys come here?"

"New start," he replied evenly. Though he spoke of his past, there was a reservation in his face that let Daniel know not to press him to much. "I met another sentinel, a thief by the name of Alex Barnes. She killed me and Jim used his connection with his spirit guide to find mine and bring me back. To say that I was disoriented is an understatement."

"Been there. Several times in fact," he nodded sagely.

"You've died? Other than this last time I mean?" he exclaimed.

Daniel nodded, sipping his coffee. The incredulous gaze made him explain. "The first mission through the gate. On the Nox home world. Uhm, got shot on Apophis' ship while covering my team. My heart stopped beating for a time after being exposed to the drug like effects of a light machine in a Goa'uld pleasure palace. Radiation poisoning is only the latest. And that doesn't even cover the times I was reported dead."

"Does it ever feel like a routine to you?"

That made him think for a while, contemplating the question. "I don't think so. I would hope that it never does, that would be tragic."

"I'll bet," he said. "How did you survive?"

"Two times, I was revived by a sarcophagus. The Nox brought me back. Jack used c. p. r. after returning me to the planet that started it all. As for the radiation, I didn't survive it really, I became an ascended being for a time," his reply was offhand.

"How did you stop being an ascended being? Orlin said that you had to do something really bad in order to lose your position with them."

"May be I did. From all I've read of myself, I don't follow rules that make no sense easily. I probably crossed some line," he fell silent for a moment. "In a way, I'm glad it happened. I feel a great deal of relief to be here."

"Ready to go, Chief?"

"Sit down, Jim," Blair pointed to the chair. "I'll be ready soon."

"Dr. Jackson," he greeted.

"Captain," Daniel smiled, then teased. "Everything okay? Or worried that my brushes with death will rub off on Blair and you must protect him from me?"

Jim reluctantly smiled, seeing the humor in the words. "That's right, Dr. Jackson. I don't think another guide could figure me out as well as Blair does." Yet, he was still uncomfortable around this man. His casual attitude about his own mortality bothered Jim.

_Rothman couldn't explain a paperweight_. Daniel blinked, startled by the words. _The man we need working on that skull is Daniel_.

"Are you all right?" Blair's hand covered his own for a moment, eyes wide with concern.

"Yeah, just remembered something I overheard once," he murmured.

"What?"

"Something about a skull and Rothman," he answered the question automatically. Looking up, he noticed their curious expressions and explained. "Something Captain Ellison said reminded me of it."

"Does that cause a problem?" Jim asked, concerned by the slight shaking of Daniel's body.

"Only in that I can't remember it happening," he murmured.

Blair studied him, "but that's good, right? That you can recall things without prompting?"

"It might if it wasn't disconcerting," he closed his eyes. "I think I'll go see Teal'c, see if he will let me meditate with him sometime."

"See you later," Blair faintly called after the retreating man. After a while, they left and went to their small, three-bedroom house. In the back of his mind, he worried about Daniel. The man was experiencing such an overload of things and he had no one to help him deal with it. Giving Jim a hug, he smiled at the stunned expression on his face. "Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate everything you do for me."

Returning the hug, Jim nodded. "The feeling is mutual, Blair."

656

Standing outside the door, Daniel hesitated. He finally made a decision and raised his hand to knock on the door. "Teal'c, got a moment?" he asked when it was opened.

"I have several moments for you, Daniel. How may I serve you?" he asked, letting him into the room.

"How do I learn to meditate as deeply as you do?"

656

Antiam looked up, startled, when the door shut rather violently behind the person who had entered the room. "Dr. Fraiser? Is something wrong?"

Janet's hand flew and connected with the tanned check. The resounding slap echoed in the room as the face turned from the force of the blow. "How dare you, Jack O'Neill?"

End, Act 18.

1

2

3

4

5

Author's Notes: Bet you were all expecting that, weren't you? As always, or at least from now on, any errors in timeline or culture are mine. I, unfortunately, do not have a degree in anthropology and the resources we have on these cultures is limited to certain perspectives that, at times, is incorrect. So, if no one minds, I shall stick to making things up as I go while trying to remain somewhat accurate.

1. Oshun: The Great Mother. She came from a Yoruba, Nigerian myth. She was a creator goddess who was behind the creation of man. Without her, man would never have come into being.

2. Morrigan: Celtic War Goddess. She sometimes has three forms. The raven is the bringer of death if you see it. I know that they had her as a Goa'uld in the show, but I made her a Tok'Ra in this story. It makes sense in my mind, which will probably get explained at some time or other.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

656

Antiam left the Infirmary hours later, feeling both relieved and angry. What right did Janet have to question her? Who did the doctor think she was? Who did she think she was dealing with? She had done what was right for her and for the SGC.

Without Daniel's steady and guiding hand, his calm air of self-assurance, Jack O'Neill would be no more than a typical, everyday soldier. A person who cared for weapons, not people. Who saw only the mission and never the consequences of rushing in. This was not the attitude that had won them allies, it was the persona that Jack had in conjunction with Daniel that was there great strength.

The friend he had once been, who had put that friendship first, would have been irrevocably lost.

The man who listened to his linguist's advice against the voice of his military training. As bad as it sounded, Jack frequently forgot that Daniel hadn't been hired just to be his friend.

It was Daniel's gift with languages that had brought him into the program. His capacity to link things together that others could not-and his adaptability to situations placed before him. And it was his visionary abilities that kept him there.

Hiring him to keep the Earth from benefiting by making others pay the price was the farthest thing from their minds. He had been hired to offer trite words of wisdom and placate the indigenous people they met into giving them what they wanted. Dr. Jackson had been hired for one reason and one alone-to help them translate the tablet and get them through the gate.

But he became more than what they wanted. His voice was the one of reason and compassion, the one they had often lacked in the past. Without him, Jack was a grunt soldier.

The government who was losing sight of why they were doing all of this. They'd been putting pressure on him ever since the NID debacle. Deciding that since he led the first contact team, he deserved to have an increasingly heavy burden placed on his shoulders.

Less listening to the bleeding heart and more acquiring, they ordered him every time he received word from them. The stress of trying to balance both worlds had begun to bleed into his camaraderie with Daniel and the rest of SG-1. The strain began to show in the more erratic behavior he exhibited.

He had often acted like an ass even with Daniel by his side. But Daniel helped mitigate the reactions others had as a result of Jack's assness. The team they formed worked at its peak when they were in tune. Something that had been lacking in recent years, through no real fault of their own. Due to the nature of their work, both men were changing.

And Carter had deserved every word he'd hurled at her. She didn't care about anything but that ridiculous element-which still hadn't blossomed into anything more than one giant pain in the ass.

Her worn-out, pale face flashed before her eyes. The sense of defeat that seemed to beleaguer her every movement pushed its way through her mind. The memory of her sacrificing a mother ship to save Thor pushed its way through the feelings of self-righteous fury that she still felt. It must have cause quite a scandal for her to reject the ship in order to save the Asgard High Commander.

And made a lie out of the words spoken to her in anger.

Antiam sighed, cursing her reawakened conscience. Leaving had been the right thing to do. It had been right for the people they helped as well because they had come to expect a certain level of honor from SG-1, a level they couldn't reach without their moral compass. But doing so had destroyed a life in the process. How did that balance the equation?

She leaned against the wall at the end of the hall, staring into nothingness.

"What's wrong?"

Turning around, she faced Daniel, keeping part of her face veiled in shadows. A wry smile crossed her face. There was a faint sense of de'ja'vu about this scene. "They don't know what to do with me. And I don't know what to do with myself."

"Have you been cleared?" He asked, even as he wondered why the words were so familiar.

"After Dr. Fraiser had a few words with me, why?" she curiously asked.

"Come on." He started off down the hall, turning around to see if she was coming. "Let's get out of here."

After a moment's hesitation, she followed him. "Is this allowed?" She asked, staring at him when he entered the elevator.

"Who cares?" he shrugged, waiting in the elevator for her. "Besides, you are supposed to be bettering relations between us. And I am on the first contact team, hence fulfilling part of that obligation."

"When you put it like that, who am I to object?" she smiled as they went up. "So, was your ascension real?"

"People tell me it happened but to me, it feels like the time I lost was just that-a loss of time and a memory never to be regained," he was quiet. "Feels like I needed a new perspective."

"Why do you say that?"

"My writings leave me in no doubt that I was unhappy during my final year here." There was something in his voice that asked her not to say anything more.

"Happens sometimes," her reply was nonchalant. It was a quiet ride and she was surprised to find them entering a familiar street. In a residential area she was all to familiar with. "I thought we were going out to a restaurant."

"We could but I'm really not in the mood for people." He turned to look at her coming to a stop, "is that okay?"

"Whatever stirs your coffee," but she was concerned. Daniel Jackson was not the kind of person to let strangers in. Granted, she knew him. Very well. But he was unaware of that foreknowledge. As far as he knew, they had just met and what she knew of him came from the Asgard.

There was a deep sigh of relief. Pulling into the driveway, he got out and opened the door for her, grateful that the lights were on. "Excuse the mess, I haven't been home in a few weeks. Just push the papers aside and grab a seat. Thai fine with you?"

"Dr. Jackson," she began.

"Please, ambassador, call me Daniel," he interrupted. "I feel that's what you should call me."

"Daniel, but only if you call me Antiam," she agreed. "Let me into the kitchen, I'm sure I can find something."

"No, I wouldn't feel right about that. You've been through a horrible time," he protested.

"Cooking relaxes me, so does cleaning. If I can't cook, I might reorganize this place," she threatened, looking around at the mess. _What did you do to my house_?

"I don't know," he hesitated. "I suppose, if you're sure?"

"Quite," she replied, suppressing a smile. "Kitchen."

Walking in front of her, he turned around. "What would you like me to do?"

Examining the disordered room, she grimaced at the piled dishes in the sink. _And I thought I was the lazy slob_, she mused dryly. "Help me wash those, then we'll do a little freshness reconnaissance."

"Freshness reconnaissance? So, you do know Jack," he said, even as he went to the sink.

"Mmmm," her reply was uncommitted as she followed him. Putting aside a few dishes to clean for use, she let him load and start the dishwasher, moving to the cupboards to start her search. If she knew Janet-and she did-there would be some non-perishable goods there.

Daniel wondered at his ease with this strange person, he'd never felt so comfortable with anyone right after meeting them.

At least, he didn't think he had, though there was Jack and Shau're. But something was so recognizable about her, he couldn't not trust her. In the harsh florescent lights, he studied her circumspectly. The veil that had been protecting her seemed to melt away under his study, almost as if giving him permission to see her as she was.

The silver hair was long, almost impractically so. But on her, with the deep bronze of her skin, it worked. Right now, the hair was tucked behind strangely pointed ears-reminiscent of fabled elf ears.

And only fabled because he had yet to meet one.

Taller than Janet but shorter than Sam, Antiam's figure tended towards plumpness. To be fair, that could be her generous curves. Or the BDU's she wore. Whatever the case, he could tell that it misled many people. There was strength there.

Eyes of an indeterminate color flicked his way, a question in them. His head shook and she went back to work with a shrug. Whatever the problem was, he wouldn't address it. And she didn't because she didn't know what was going on, though she had a pretty good idea.

Once dinner was eaten, they retired to the living room. Taking a look around, he grimaced and started moving his work around. "All this stuff had to be taken out of storage and I haven't had the chance to go through it yet. Apparently, I am to only one qualified to do so," he explained, somewhat sheepishly. "I would get someone to come and clean up the other stuff but with the work we do, I'm not sure it's a good idea. Some things may slip or fall into the wrong hands."

"Couldn't you ask someone about getting help for that? Major Carter or Doctor Fraiser might be able to advise you on that," she observed, helping out when he would let her.

He shrugged, satisfied just to have found the couch. Sitting down, he patted the cushions and she joined him. "I don't feel comfortable with either of them yet to ask for any personal favors. How did you get involved with the Asgard?" he changed the subject.

"I was grieving and angry about something that happened. I needed to do something or explode with the weight of my guilt. They had a need, one which I was more than willing to fill," she honestly answered. By some miracle, she managed to retain control over herself, though a little grief escaped into her voice. "Of course, there was also the fact that something happened to me that necessitated my needing a new cover."

"What?" He leaned forward, watching her in concern. Treading on a fine wire, her body language screamed, yet he felt comfortable enough to press her. It was almost like he knew she wouldn't rebuff him.

Antiam stood and started pacing, debating her answer. So far, she had been honest with him and decided to stay with that particular course of action, it seemed to be the best choice. Besides, there was nothing in her agreement that said she must be silent as long as she didn't reveal the particular details of certain things to anyone. Details she had no intention of telling anyway, they were to painful. "It was after I had been on a mission to help an acquaintance of mine-a Tok'Ra named Ama-Terasu. I'm sure you've heard of her."

Daniel nodded, "I didn't know she was Tok'Ra until recently. All the sources said she was consort to Lord Yu. Meaning that she was a Goa'uld."

"She was, until she fell out of favor with him. His host seems to be suffering from dementia, unusual though that is."

"Why is that unusual? The sarcophagus affects the hosts soul," he said, knowing this was true.

"Yes, but the symbiote mitigates that happening."

Daniel thought about that for a moment. "Then why don't the Tok'Ra use them?"

"They share the body, not take control of it."

Something in her tone alerted him and he just knew that something happened to her. And that it that had to do with the Tok'Ra and their symbiotes. He almost didn't wish to press her further, but felt that he had to. He just didn't know why. "So, Ama-Terasu?"

"She's the reason he's been such an amiable Goa'uld. I went to help her evacuate the palace she lived in, she begged me to help her son. His host was dying, there was no hope for him to survive his injuries. This grieved me for I knew him from my past travels. Why, she questioned, should we allow the symbiote to suffer the same fate? I allowed Canaan to enter me and left for a Tok'Ra strong hold. While I was not totally comfortable with this, I permitted it because it would not have been for long. But...I was misled as to the state of his heath and he remained within me, trying to find out what I truly was.

"A friend of mine came and alerted me, so I sought help from another source. While under the influence of a mind-altering drug, I spoke with Cassandra, a priestess of Apollo. She warned me to flee. Before I was able to, I was attacked by an enemy. There was a fight, I was badly injured and passed out of consciousness due to the pain. Canaan broke free from the barriers I placed about him, he took control of my body and saved us from the threat. But he did not relinquish his hold once we were safe. I may have been able to forgive him for the first, but the second…Doing so was a literal rape of my mind and my trust. And he found things, certain aspects of my belief that led him to think that it would be okay to steal my body and use it for his own purposes. He left the strong hold and brought us to Ba'al's fortress in an attempt to save his girl."

She stopped abruptly, wrapping her arms around her trembling body. "I did not always look like this, Daniel. My time in Ba'al's sarcophagus destroyed my control over that form. An...Ascended being found his way to me, tried to comfort me. In fact, he even tried to help directly by offering ascension but I was unwilling to go that route. So, finding a loophole in the non-interference policy they have, I was given the chance to escape. As you can see, I took that small chance and made it-managing to escape with Shaylin, my old girlfriend." The last was said with an ironic grin.

"And Canaan?"

"He left when I was captured-but stole enough of my essence that he was able to survive until we escaped," she grimaced. "Once we were free, Thor came for us. I spent a few days recovering from the sarcophagus while they removed the knowledge from Canaan. It would be to dangerous if he was allowed to retain it."

"What are you?" he whispered, almost fearfully.

"Furling, mostly. Though there is a small part of me that is ancient," she conceded.

"Sounds vaguely familiar," he murmured. "What happened to them?"

"He and Shaylin blended, though I wish that he were dead." Glancing up at the clock, she blinked in shock. "I should get a taxi to the base."

"Stay," he offered quickly. At her look, one he could only describe as shock and caution, he reassured her. "I have a guest bedroom. It used to be the master bedroom but I can't sleep there. Somehow, it still belongs to Jack. I don't think he'd mind if you had it." In fact, he was sure of it.

"General Hammond?"

"Won't mind because he knows where you are. It's right this way." He led her up the stairs and showed her where everything was. "I'll loan you a shirt and wish you a good-night."

"Thanks, Daniel." She accepted the shirt and prepared for bed, cursing herself-and Thor, for getting her into this mess. It would be so easy to fall back into the same pattern she had established in the beginning with Daniel.

So easy. And so very wrong. Daniel's memories had been stolen from him for a reason and she feared that part of him didn't want to remember because it had been she who had caused the pain in him to grow to the point where it had become unbearable for him to live in the first place.

Of all the things she wished for, her friendship to cause him pain was not one of them.

He himself wondered about the ease with which they fell into step. But there was that achingly familiar essence about her. Making the bed together felt normal, it was like they had done it hundreds of times. Even knowing that she wasn't human didn't diminish the sense of knowing.

Earlier, he'd teased her about knowing Jack but he contemplated it critically now. Could there be a connection between them? From memory, he recalled the ancient's download into Jack's brain-and how they were informed that it wasn't for them.

Yet, Jack not only lived with it, he was able to apply it. May be Antiam and Jack were of the same blood, thus his sense of knowing. Rolling over, he resolutely shut his mind off. There would be time for questions later.

"_What's wrong?" Jack's voice seemed to come from far away it was so soft in his ear. The Colonel approached and leaned against the wall, lightly touching the younger man's shoulder._

"_They don't know what to do with me. And I don't know what to with myself." Daniel replied, leaning into the touch. Two days ago, such a response wouldn't have come from his lips. Even earlier that day, one would've gotten a much different reply to that question. How quickly things change with just one phone call._

"_Come on," Jack let go of his shoulder and started to walk off. "Let's get out of here." He reiterated when Daniel just watched him. With a shrug, the linguist followed him._

_In Jack's den, they sat and drank beer, Daniel looked up at him. Searching his face for answers to questions his friend didn't have, somewhat desperately. "What are we going to do? If this change is real and General West is replaced by that Major General Cantor, I won't be allowed to go through the Stargate. Jack, this is what I've dreamed of doing for what seems like forever. I can't **not** go through the 'gate," he vented._

"_Daniel, there's no other linguist I'd rather have with me. But this will be a military operation. I know you; you don't want to be involved with that. It won't be like anything that you are used to," Jack pointed out._

_He glared, "I realize that, Jack. Do you think I'm some kind of incompetent, unobservant scholar who doesn't recognize what he is surrounded by?"_

"_Of course not, Daniel," he started._

"_Then don't treat me like it," he sighed. "I'm sorry, Jack, this whole situation frustrates me. But I shouldn't be taking it out on you; it's not your fault. You are just a part of the problem, you with your military protocols and everything."_

"_Should I be flattered?"_

"_No."_

"_Daniel, I wouldn't worry so much about it. If all else fails, I'll smuggle you through in my backpack," he grinned._

_Daniel stared at him for a moment, then an answering smile met his. "You'd do it to, wouldn't you?"_

"_Yeah, sure, you betcha."_

"_Jack, that isn't grammatically correct," he said._

"_That what you're here for. To keep me from speaking and corrupting the natives we meet," he saluted with the bottle._

"_Someone warn the natives, Captain America, junior is on his way." They laughed at that._

And Daniel awoke to the smell of fresh coffee.

6

The Stargate went dark as Antiam walked down the ramp and looked around, then up at the observation room. Waving to Sergeant Davis absently, she wondered why there was no one in the gate room to greet her.

Rubbing her aching shoulder and shrugging, she went out into the main hall. They weren't expecting her and might be involved in other matters. It wouldn't be the first time she had shown up without warning. Anubis was shaking things up, his attacks becoming more erratic, more brutal.

Daniel had also told her about the new soldier Teal'c and Bre'tac had discovered. These soldiers had surprised a party of Jaffa and slaughtered them all with little trouble. Impervious to all known weapons, they were almost unstoppable. In other words, they were the perfect tool for a power hungry Ascended-Ancient-Goa'uld.

His message had been short due to his leaving for Central America to retrieve a piece of Ancient technology that might help them, but she got the gist. Big, bad boys had arrived on the playing field, thus making it uneven once again.

After giving General Hammond the information she'd collected, she hoped she'd be able to relax with Daniel before being called by the Asgard for a mission of some kind. Her friend rarely had a chance to play in his own sandbox on Earth and she hoped it went well. Though, with the way things were around the SGC and the sick way fate played with him, she doubted it. _Well_, she thought, _aren't we a Mary Sunshine tonight_.

"Dr. Jackson and Dr. Lee have been taken hostage," she heard the General say.

"What? When?" she spat out the questions. "And where?"

"We got the news last night. The rebels have taken them to Honduras," he replied, startled by her sudden appearance.

"And you're just standing around?" Her questions were tossed over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall and towards the elevator. A packet was tossed back, landing at his feet, papers spilling out of it.

"Ambassador, where are you going?"

"To rescue him, which is what you should have done the moment you got word," she snapped at him.

Teal'c bowed down and picked up the scattered papers to hide his smile. Ambassador Antiam's behavior was eerily reminiscent of another person-and confirmed his suspicions. Once he'd restored the papers to some kind of order, he straightened up and handed them over. "I believe this is for you, GeneralHammond."

"Shouldn't we stop her?" Jacob asked. "I really don't want to alienate the Asgard."

"I do not believe that would be a wise decision," Teal'c offered his opinion. In fact, he was pretty sure that there was nothing they could do that would stop Antiam's progress.

General Hammond handed the folder to Sam after taking a look and removing a few papers marked especially for him. "I think you'll have better luck understanding these," he explained seeing her puzzled look. "Jacob, talk to the Tok'Ra about these coordinates. The Asgard believe that we should move our Alpha site. Teal'c, my office."

Once they were shut inside, George studied the man before him. "Why do you think we should just let her go? The Asgard will not be pleased if anything happened to her on our soil because of our inaction."

"You know the reason as I do," he simply stated.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Do not deceive yourself, GeneralHammond. Or try to lie to me. That Asgard liaison is no ordinary liaison. It is a person we are both well acquainted with."

With a sigh, he nodded. "I thought I was the only one who saw it. How did you figure it out?"

"The name resembles something in a movie Colonel O'Neill enjoys and has made me watch many times," he replied.

"I'm not sure I follow you, Teal'c."

"Antiam, put the emphasis on the accents differently and you get the phrase 'Auntie Em', out of the name," the Jaffa elaborated.

General Hammond nodded, "it does have a strange, Jack logic about it."

"I shall endeavor to help MajorCarter now. I would advise remaining silent about the liaison's identity for I do not think the Asgard want us to know." He left the office quietly.

Sitting in the semi-darkness, George barely heard him go. His thoughts were with the two doctors under his command. And the rogue who went after them, praying that the famous luck of both people would come through. Again.

656

"Thanks, Duncan. I'll return it to you as soon as possible." She murmured, lovingly studying her old plane. The Scot had kept her in perfect working condition and she made a mental note to introduce him to Siler, the two would get along really well.

"You mean, we will."

She turned, smiling widely at the sight that met her eyes. "Adam!"

He accepted her hug before pushing her away and studying her critically. "I'd heard you'd gone female but didn't believe it. I thought you swore off femininity after the joy that was the corset."

She shrugged. "Do I even want to know which of our mutual acquaintances told you this?"

"Janet Fraiser, when she told me of your personal mission." He nodded at Duncan, who tried to look uninterested in their conversation but he could tell that the Scot was bursting with curiosity.

It had taken MacCloud long enough to accept the very reality of the legendary four oldest immortals and their unique powers. Adam knew that the immortal wanted to know exactly how they did some of the things they did-and if there was a way he could learn.

"I needed to get as far from my known form as I could and yet, be closer to my original form. And you aren't coming." She didn't even bother to acknowledge Duncan's listening ear. He knew all he was allowed to-and she wouldn't give him any more.

"Yes, I am. Ah-ah!" he raised a hand, silencing her. "As a new member of the SGC, I have as much invested in this as you."

"What?" There was no more arguing, there would be no point. They boarded the plane, her in the pilot seat and him as co-pilot. Together, they re-checked to make doubly sure that everything was in good working order.

He nodded. "You heard right. The British, French, and Chinese all want a piece of the action since they are being asked to help out in any full scare invasions. And since only Doctor Jackson beats me in linguistics, I was chosen to help out. You might want to think about that," he hinted.

"Thought you gave up having a conscience," she commented.

"Thought you gave up on Earth," he shot back, revealing that he'd kept more than a casual ear on her doings since she'd gone AWOL. "And what makes you so sure I didn't? I could just be here because of you."

She thought about that for a moment, then shook her head. "Tried that, remember?"

"But you can't deny that it was pleasurable." Adam pointed out, watching her from the corner of his eye. One of his more adventurous and daring lovers, he missed that part of their relationship. He was realistic enough to want his friend more though. They were lucky in that they had an ardent sex life and yet, retained their friendly ties. Save for that unfortunate desire to lead, they had been amazing.

"Ready?" she ignored his words. Of all the men she'd ever been with, Adam had been the longest love of her lives. But she knew there was no point to that rocky road relationship, both of them liked to be on top too much to ever be content with anything less. She detested having him order her around because he tended towards a blasé approach to life. And he disliked her lead because she was prone to sentimentalism-even if she had a practical nature.

"Go for it," he smirked. "By the way, I've found out where the good doctors are. They were moved since the American government was given their demands."

"Keeping up with old friends?"

"Never hurts to be paranoid."

"Is that a hint?" she asked before falling silent.

"Would I do that to you?" His only answer was getting a snort.

656

It was early morning when they arrived secretly, Adam's friends having greased the wheels to allow them to slip under the noses of the government. Before they disembarked, she handed him an unusual weapon. "Zat gun. One stuns. Two kills. Three disintegrates. No idea what the artifact does or if they've turned it on, so..."

"Shoot three times," they chorused before becoming serious. In her supplies she had her sword and a few weapons. Adam carried his sword and his own armaments of preference. But she had decided on the zat guns because they wanted to avoid an international incident if at all possible.

Adam took point, knowing where they were going better than Antiam. She shivered as they walked along. This was not a country she'd ever wanted to revisit. All it held were bad memories. Iraq was different. Though the country also held recollections of a living hell, joyous memories also suffused the place with a warm glow of fondness.

The same could not be said of this place. The beauty that drew so many in masked the deadly reality of the place. Filled with harshness and brutality, barely a spot had been left untouched by bloodshed and violence.

And Daniel was experiencing it all first hand.

For a moment, she blamed herself for not being there for him. But her mind quickly recalled that this was _Daniel_. He always seemed to find the quickest way to get into trouble. Whether it was from the Goa'uld or his own colleagues, he somehow found himself in the midst of controversy.

And even when she had been there, he still got hurt.

Their first mission came to mind, when he'd died in her place. Still, it didn't lessen the guilt.

After two days of hiking, they could hear the sound of gunfire. Without a word, Adam took the left while she went right. Remaining within sight of each other, they crawled slowly through the jungle growth towards the sounds. Dr. Lee rushed out of the trees between them and they paused, moving closer. He stopped in dazed disbelief and raised his hands.

"Dr. Lee?" Antiam asked, reaching out a hand.

He sagged with relief, practically falling into her rather open armed embrace. "Daniel said help would come but I didn't believe it."

"Where is he?"

"Back there," he responded to the urgency in her voice. He pulled away and looked at them, confused to see the someone he didn't know with Antiam.

"Could you find the camp? Unless you have the artifact with you, we need to get it," Adam said.

Shaking, he slowly nodded his head. "You are?"

"Dr. Adam Pierson. Antiam, you go get Dr. Jackson. Dr. Lee and I will get the artifact and wait there for you. Here," he passed the doctor the zat. "Shoot to eradicate."

With a nod, she disappeared in the direction Lee had vaguely gestured towards. Coming around a corner, she saw Daniel leaning against a tree. Three men burst into the clearing, guns drawn and pointed at Daniel. Moving faster, she fired the zat with rapid-fire precision and dropped all three before they fired a shot. "No sense in leaving bodies behind," she shrugged. "That it?"

Cautiously, she approached and saw his wild, unfocused eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he rasped out.

"Daniel?" she tried to get him to focus on her very real presence.

"Yeah. You got them," he finally replied, realizing that it was no delusion. "What are you doing here?" he reiterated.

"What you would if I were in you shoes. Come on," she helped him up. "We've got to get going." A projectile hit the ground and they were flung back. Crawling behind the tree as they were bombarded, she hollered at him. "I thought you said that I got them all!"

"You did! I forgot the zombie. The artifact brings the dead back differently than a sarcophagus does," he hollered back. Wincing when a piece of shrapnel hit the tree. "He was one of the only ones who listened to my warnings-and was shot for it."

"Great," she muttered, pulling out her p-90 and giving it to him.

Though he was doubtful, he took it. "This won't help as long as long as it's on."

"But it'll buy us sometime," she muttered. "Why did Dr. Lee tell them?"

"He wanted to stop our suffering and thought that would help." He responded before firing in the direction of the attacker. Though the gunfire knocked him back, no real damage was inflicted. "But how did you know I wasn't the one to tell them?"

"I've heard about your Stargate experiences. If the Goa'uld couldn't get you to yield, they who have turned torture into an art form, would humans really have that ability?" She fired but the zat did no good. "What is this? The way he's going you'd think he was one of Anubis' creatures."

"You know of them?" he blinked at her.

"Daniel, you mentioned them in your rather cryptic warning to me." She bit out through clenched teeth. Quickly switching to her side arm, she continued to fire.

"That artifact created that, something in it simulates life. We hope to extract it and use it to defeat them." He fired, spitting out a tense explanation through his chapped lips. "The artifact is what started the myth about the Fountain of Youth."

She nodded, showing she was listening to him. "Carter and Martouf will work on it?"

"Who else?"

Antiam looked at him, wondering at the slight hint of bitterness in his voice. _Pursue later_, she thought, wincing in pain when she was hint by some metal. "Should've brought a grenade," she cursed herself. A familiar whistling sound entered the arena, she yelled. "DOWN!" and shoved him aside.

Debris went flying about them. When nothing else was forthcoming, she rose cautiously to her feet and looked around. In the clearing caused by the explosion, an amused Adam Pierson waited. He shrugged at her look. "I got bored and you were taking to long. Dr. Lee was able to radio the SGC, they're sending up a rescue team. It should be here within the hour."

"Come on, Daniel." She coaxed him to his feet, inwardly sympathizing with his tired expression, though it did not show. He wouldn't thank her for what he would see as pity. "We'll get you home and into Dr. Fraiser's excellent care." His grimace made her laugh. Janet would have a field day with his injuries.

656

"Is he going to be all right?" she asked when Adam joined her.

"I'm not that kind of doctor," he reminded her teasingly.

"Anymore."

"Is this concern friendly or more?" he curiously questioned.

"Friendly," she said. One of the things she had forgotten about Adam that used to irritate her was his interest in gossip. Even now, when it was merely friendly, it annoyed her greatly. "He's kinda dating Professor Fox."

"Kind of?" he raised an eyebrow. "Either he is or he isn't."

"Daniel's not one for talking about his private life. To him, private life means a private life. And, unless it interferes with his health or work, I don't push it," she shrugged. "Well?"

"Good food and rest will do wonders for him," he answered. "Is there something more that I should know about?"

Her head shook, what was spoken was Daniel's secret to share. Not hers and she wouldn't break his confidence. "No. Just that something he said troubles me."

"And?"

"That's between Dr. Jackson and myself."

656

"So, this is what I have to look forward to?" Adam looked distastefully at his plate.

"Better then M.R.E.'s. They all taste the same to a cultured palate. At least, that's what I've heard. You'll have some fun with those," she consoled him teasingly. Chewing on her pie, she grimaced when a familiar chime sounded.

"What is that?" Adam asked, fascinated by the crystal she pulled out and was studying. "Is that one of those Asgard devices?"

"Yes," she murmured absently. Antiam sighed and rose, placing the crystal back into her shirt pocket. The half eaten piece of strawberry cream pie sat there, forlornly, just begging to be finished. "I'll see you around, Adam. I've got to go. Loki's gotten himself into some kind of trouble. As usual."

"Shall I wish you luck?" he asked dryly.

"Please don't. I don't need the added pressure," with a grin, she left.

"I'll do it anyway. You tread a fine line, my friend," he whispered.

Upon entering the gate room, Antiam pulled out the crystal. Running her thumb over it in a counterclockwise direction, she activated the gate. Turning around, she mock saluted the General and waved at Walter before heading towards the ramp.

"Wait!"

Antiam turned to the left at the voice, surprised to see..."Daniel?"

Panting as he approached her, he rested on his crutches heavily. After a moment, he regained control of his breathing and was able to speak clearly. "I just wanted to thank you. Again. For what you did, you didn't have to come after me."

A lazy smile crossed her face, this attitude was so very Daniel. She was glad to see that he was feeling much better after his ordeal, though she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still so very wrong with him. "Believe me, I did. You'd do the same for me."

"I don't think so."

"Still having doubts about what kind of person you are? Stop it. You would, **_it's in your nature_**," she emphasized. "See you around, Space Monkey." Running up the ramp, she heard his mutterings with an amused smile.

"Space Monkey. What kind of pedestrian nickname is...Jack?" He whipped around in time to see the gate disappear after her. That name unlocked a deluge of memories and expressions and he felt absolutely buffeted by the raging flood.

Biting her lip upon emerging, she cringed. "I'm dead."

On Earth, Daniel glowered at the Stargate and then at his bandaged leg. "Next time we run into each other, Antiam, we are going to have a long talk," he vowed. "And there will be no running away or obfuscations about this little deception of yours."

End, Act 19.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Thanks to: Sheila, ms8309, Lila Mae, and Heather. I'm so glad that you are all enjoying it and hope that these two chapters live up to expectations. I'm especially glad that Jack and Daniel's friendship comes across and that they are relatively kept in character. Thank you so much for taking the time to review my work. I really appreciate it.

Author's Note: I'm actually rather nervous about this part. I desperately hope it comes of-especially the rewrite of "Heroes", which isn't really a rewrite. So, yes, there might be a semi-spoiler for s7 there. If you don't wish to know, it is set apart by like always. Let me know if it doesn't work so that I might make it better. I may just take out the whole "Heroes" thing.

656

About Two Months Later:

SG-9 emerged from the gate and looked at the paradisiacal, tree filled, Asgard protected planet, curious. Unlike others, this one had no population worth the eye of the Goa'uld or any other prospective invaders for that matter.

But it had once been a Furling home world, thus worthy of their protection. The Jaffa were considering it as a possible base for their operations. Living off of the SGC galled them and felt akin to the relationship they shared with their former masters.

The Hammer was the reason they'd come. Master Bre'tac had asked them if they would deal with the Asgard. At least, for the first part of the negotiations. Antiam seemed to just appear out of nowhere, Frigga and Thor on each side of her. There was no real reason for her to be there, save that Daniel had requested it.

Once they had explained the situation and talked it out for a few hours, excusing themselves, Thor and Frigga went to speak with the counsel. "May I have a few words with your liaison?" At Thor's nod, he thanked them graciously. Giving her a pointed look, he walked off towards the edge of the woods and waited.

Antiam followed with a grimace. Usually, she looked forward to spending time with Daniel. But this was not one of those times. In truth, this conversation was one she dreaded and had a million nightmares about. She knew there was no feasible way out of it.

She had endlessly searched for one.

Daniel stood poking the ground and didn't look up as she approached. After a moment, he walked off and she followed him, silently trying to feel him out. When nothing was forthcoming, she stopped trying and waited. He stopped by a small inland lake, sitting on a boulder that overhung a shallow area of the water. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Honestly?" Her tone held laughter as she moved over to stand beside his form.

"I would prefer it," his voice cut sharply through her attempt at lightening the situation. "If you're still capable of it."

"No. I was not," she bluntly said.

"Why?" he looked up then. "I may not have remembered every single thing that happened but I do know that we were close. We were about as intimate as friends come without being lovers. I would even dare to say that we were closer than that."

She moved to sit in front of him, searching for the words as she sat down. "It had nothing to do with the nature of our close friendship. As Jack, I considered you my soul friend."

"_Anam_ _Cara_," he softly evoked the words. "You called me your _anam_ _cara_. The first time you said that to me was...after you asked me to move in. I had returned from Nem's world. You thought I had died. You smashed the general's car window in your grief! And considered retiring because I was no longer with you."

The faint accusation caused Antiam to flinch. "Yes, but that was different."

"How?" he demanded. "Your actions after I ascended belie the idea that you thought I was gone for good. You told Janet to keep the house and all my things for five years. A flagrant statement that said that you believed I would return, if ever I've heard of one. And it was an impossible belief."

"Not so impossible when you consider that it is you we are talking about. But, Daniel...I don't know how to explain this," she paused, thinking. "My desire to continue to be Jack O'Neill had been waning for two years or so. All the pressure was killing any joy I had in serving my country and working with SG-1. It was destroying our friendship, slowly but surely. Had you not ascended, I still would've left. You ascending just speeded up my leaving timetable."

"So, this is my fault?" he was incredulous. "You dare lay the blame for this on…on me and what happened to me?"

"No!" She yelled, before forcing herself to take a deep breath. Once she felt calm enough to speak, she tried to explain her position. "Daniel, I'm an immortal. I have lived for over five thousand years. You have always been an integral part in all of my lives, and then you left in a way that truly removed you from my life. Forever. The ascension forced me to reexamine my life and priorities, that's all."

"How long?" His faint voice asked, revealing that he had not heard the confession of his past lives.

"Five thousand years," she replied, not redressing the missed confession. "A long time to live."

"Did I know?"

"Not at first. This secret isn't lightly shared." Bitterly, she spoke, recalling a time when she hadn't been so wary. A time when she had been so in love, she'd risked the lives of the immortals. Because of her rash actions, she'd caused the near extinction on their entire race. Never again, she had sworn, never again would she open herself up to such vulnerabilities.

Yet, she continually did so for Daniel.

"Even though I hold the highest honor you could give a person, you couldn't trust me with this."

"It wasn't like that at all, Daniel." Rubbing her neck, she sighed agitatedly. "Try putting yourself in my shoes. Living among mortals but knowing that they will die while you never will. That you will live several lifetimes in the space of a few mortal heartbeats. How could I put such a burden on anyone? And when I change my life, I drop that knowledge and existence. I leave it behind me."

"Adam knew." Thinking back, he realized something else. "Janet did as well. Why didn't you tell me? I, who am your _anam_ _cara_? Or does that name mean nothing to you anymore?"

"They are like me," she simply replied. Rocking back but remaining in position, she spoke of her shame at the hurt she'd caused her team. Of how guilty she felt leaving her family open and exposed to their enemies on the Earth and in space, once she got over her indignation. It was all there for his perusal. It was early morning before she had ended telling her story. Well, the things he already knew anyway and what had happened while he'd been gone. "I was afraid. Not of you, but your reaction to the truth. My life story isn't common," she quietly finished.

"Does that justify lying to me?"

"Wherein did I lie?" she asked tiredly. "I am as you see me."

"You led me to believe that you did not know us."

"As Antiam, I did not," she reminded him.

"You could have told me later! How many times did we spend getting to know each other?" he exploded. "You practically live at my house whenever you return to the SGC. _OUR_ house!" He harshly reminded her. "Or was that just some sick joke you were playing on me?"

She paled. "Never a joke, Daniel. I would never do something like that to you."

"Then why not tell me?" he pleaded, his eyes rife with agony. "Why lead me on this wild dance? You knew I was looking for you."

"And how would that seem?" she demanded, suddenly furious with his inability to see her side. "If suddenly, out of the blue I said to you, 'Daniel. Do you recall a Jack O'Neill? Well, I am him. And no, this isn't a joke nor some kind of weird identity problem caused by a mid-life crisis.' How would that have gone over? Would you have been at all receptive? And don't lie, I know you."

"That would've been better than to live with this lie!"

"How is this life I lead a lie, Daniel? This is who I am now and if you can't accept that, may be I don't know you anymore. May be I never did," she ended bitterly. Instead of focusing on him, she was staring into the water.

"Don't you dare try to blame me for your flagrant breach of trust! I never have nor will I ever care about what you look like. Or what you call yourself. All I care about is that you be honest with me and you haven't been." He forced her to look at him, see all the hurt and confusion he felt by her deception as he saw it.

"I have been as honest as the situation allows." Her words dripped with acid.

"You had plenty of time to tell me," he sneered back.

She went calm, stilling suddenly. "Do you think they have stopped bugging the house, Daniel?"

"What? Of course they have," he snapped. "With you gone, there's nothing to be suspicious of."

"Wrong, Daniel," she stated. "You've got enemies who do not appreciate your luck. Nor do they believe that you know nothing of your time with the Ascended. And sometimes, when you dream, you reveal things."

"Who?" he whispered. "Who would dare to invade my privacy? And why would I lie? I honestly don't remember a thing from before."

"But they believe you do and that's enough for them to keep their eye focused on you." She ticked a few of them off on her hand. "Colonel Simmons, for one. Senator Kinsey hates the fact that you proved him wrong about the alternate reality 'delusion' and made him eat his words. Jack's not around anymore, so he's taking it out on you. There are others, those not on Earth, who wish you mortal harm."

"Why not tell me after you rescued me? Why reveal it so off-handedly?" he asked, bewildered.

"Dr. Lee, was there, remember? And there are things you know that I am forbidden to tell Adam," she paused, meeting his eyes. "As for 'Space Monkey', well, it just slipped out."

"Slipped out?" his eyebrows quirked. "Somehow, I find myself believing that." And he did for he knew that Jack would never have revealed something like that intentionally.

After a while, she shifted to rest against his shoulder. They watched as the sun began to rise and send out bright streams of iridescent color. Mini-rainbows skipped on the lake below them, tiny lights dancing in their eyes. "This is a nice spot," Daniel observed.

"It is. The Jaffa will find that it serves their purposes beautifully," she murmured.

"They could always refuse," he dryly reminded her.

Her head shook, not exactly denying his words. "Nah. They'll alter the hammer to best serve them though." As the sun rose, they got to their feet and began the trek back. "So, we're good?"

"Shaken. But holding," he answered as he once had, "just one question."

"You'll be satisfied with one?"

"For now. Are you coming back now that I've returned?"

Antiam stumbled and he automatically caught her. Staring at him, she asked, shock in her voice, "that's a joke, right?"

"No. My time back has shown me that I was wrong thinking that I did nothing of worth, this is where I do the most good. But I am only half of a team. Together is when we do our best work. I can only soar when you are there to ground me. To support me and to be so pigheaded that I have to think faster and better to do what's right for everyone. We are in this together."

"Daniel," she began.

"Just think about it, Jack. If I'm the soul and conscience, you are the heart." He fell silent then, allowing the words to sink in as they went down to where SG-9 and the Asgard waited.

6

"So, why are they here?" Daniel asked, walking into Jack's office with Sam at his heels. Though the colonel had been gone for over a year, his office had remained untouched. Mainly because no one was quite sure where it was. SG-1 was the one exception; they had hid out there for years. "I know what they are saying, but what's the truth?"

The major sighed and sat down. "You want my honest opinion?" she asked, studying him as she rested her head on her linked hands.

"Please," he sat down as well, glancing around at the room. Two long couches rested along the walls, while a few file cabinets sat behind the desk with its two chairs. Somehow, he knew that this was where the team had spent many hours hiding out from the world beyond the doors. This was their home away from home.

"Kinsey," her answer was blunt. "He wants to make sure that he's seen as a good guy in this-especially now that he's Vice President Elect. Somehow, he's going to get control of the SGC and this "document" is just part of his plan. Have you noticed how a lot of it focuses on Colonel O'Neill-who isn't here anymore and hasn't been for almost two years."

"Well, he did led the first mission through the gate and guided SG-1 for five years. During those years, the Asgard dealt with him alone. If not for him, we wouldn't be in their protected planets alliance. Nor would we still have the 'gate," he pointed out. "He was able to bluff the Goa'uld into letting us keep it."

"Then why aren't there more questions about **_your_** contributions? The 'gate was opened because of your determination. You translated the language of the Ancients and led us to the true creators of the Stargates. We have a beneficial relationship with the Unas because of you. If not for you, our treaty with the Tok'Ra would not exist. You have been responsible for the Nox's willingness to talk to us, to help us out. The Tollans guide our efforts now because they trust you," she paused. "You have done as much as, if not **_more_**, than the Colonel."

"What of you?" Out of a long established habit, he effortlessly turned the spotlight away for his own actions. Uncomfortable with the attention even now. "If not for you, we would never have been able to figure out the relationship between plant and inhabitant. We would have been responsible for their deaths. Jolinar's presence has been an aid several times-including the revelation that the Tok'Ra truly exist. The X-301, 302, and 303 would not have been created. I would still be in a madhouse if you hadn't noticed that Teal'c's sickness began after he picked me up."

"And what of Teal'c's own accomplishments?" she interrupted him, smiling. "Without him, our knowledge of the Goa'uld would be incomplete. His Jaffa rebellion has taken much of the pressure off of us. He has saved us countless times, sometimes when he was dealing with a disability. He's stayed beside us through many of our faltering steps, providing us with his steady guidance and asked for nothing in return but our help."

"And what of DoctorFraiser and GeneralHammond's contributions?" Teal'c spoke solemnly from the door. "Many difficult decisions have rested on their shoulders. They have striven to do what is best even if the choice has caused them great pain. What has brought this conversation on?"

"Emmett Bregman and his incessant questions about Colonel O'Neill," Sam replied, rolling her eyes in disgust. "Pull up a couch, Teal'c."

"He does seem unusually interested in him," the Jaffa agreed. "Why should this bother you? I believe that he is searching for a hero for people to identify with. You Tua'ri have a fondness for heroes."

Sam's head shook, eyes sad. "If it were only that, I would not mind. But there is something more to it than that. Some of the questions have been about the rumors circulating about the Colonel and me. He's looking for something and wants to use me for it."

Daniel whistled. When he'd first heard the rumors about Sam and Jack, he wondered himself. The two of them worked in such intense situations, it would be normal for feelings to develop. But after reading his journals and talking to the people who had known them, he saw the two for what they really were-family. A family that included him and Teal'c. The talk was just that-talk. It was idle gossip designed to fill the time. "How did you handle that?"

"I looked him straight in the eye and asked how answering those questions would help anyone understand what we do down here. The colonel is part of my family, as much as my birth brother and my father are. As much as you, Teal'c, Cassie, Janet, and General Hammond are. Of course, I also asked him where on my uniform did it say G.I. Barbie," she smirked.

Daniel snorted. "And?"

"He couldn't answer," her eyes twinkled. "I wonder why."

"You think he is muckraking?"

"I'm convinced of it, Daniel." Absolute conviction filled her voice. "Why else would he go through all of this trouble to try to get me to admit to something that isn't there."

"Do you believe that he shall try this with Daniel?"

"What?" he blinked. "What are you talking about?" He was pretty sure Teal'c knew Antiam's secret, but how could the reporter?

They stared at him, disbelief in Sam's eyes. "You haven't heard the rumors about you and him?"

"That we were an unusual pair of friends," he slowly said. "I know that, very well."

"That you're more than friends," she gently interrupted. "There is much more evidence for this relationship than any other. You lived in the same house for five years. Both of you can be extremely selfish and territorial about each other. And, the most glaring and obvious of all, he left when you ascended."

"That's all circumstantial evidence, Sam, we have nothing to hide. We've never tried. Jack and I are what we are." He tried to clear his mind, shocked. It had never occurred to him that he could be used to blacken Jack's name. The more he thought about it, though, the more it resonated with him.

Of course, they would use any tool to hurt Jack-and what better one than his best friend.

"Are you all right?" Teal'c asked.

He nodded slowly. "I'm trying to come to grips with how far Kinsey will go to get his clutches into the SGC."

"And not just the SGC," she said. "He wants Colonel O'Neill to suffer-even if he isn't here."

"He also wishes Daniel to suffer," Teal'c observed.

"Why?"

"Do you not recall that you went to Colonel O'Neill before he made his recommendation about the possibility of an alliance with the Aschen? That you told him about what you had discovered about the Aschen's true purposes. That he listened to you and told the President that he should not make an alliance with them even though they could help us in our fight?" Teal'c asked. "You also averted his first attempt to shut down the SGC."

There was a knock on the door and it opened, revealing Janet. "Is this a private confab or can anyone join in?"

"Join us," Sam invited. A frown crossed her face when she noticed the film crew behind her. "Did you need something?" she icily asked.

"A few words with Dr. Jackson," he smiled insincerely.

"I'm sorry but Dr. Jackson is busy planning our next mission. It's classified," she went to the door and held it so that he couldn't enter. "Which means that you are trespassing. Dr. Sandburg," she questioned, seeing him come around the corner, surprised.

"Hey, Major, just thought I'd borrow Mr. Bregman for a few minutes since we'll be shipping out soon. You don't mind if I call you Emmett, do you?" Linking arms with the reporter, he walked them down the hall, talking rapidly the whole time. "No, of course you don't. Because as a reporter, establishing a comfort level with those you interview is something you seek. I understand how frustrating that can sometimes be seeing as how it is hard to get people to trust you when they have no previous knowledge or experience with you. That's one of the hardest things to do when we are out there among other races. Even though we have a common ancestry, the fact remains that they do not know us."

Given no choice, Emmett was pulled along by the chattering doctor. His crew followed him, filming some of the speech but not the whole thing. Blair was a good obfuscator and he was laying it on thick. They found it most entertaining to see Emmett being the hounded one.

As Sam turned to reenter the room, she saw Jim. The captain was watching the departing group with a fond-if exasperated-smile on his face. "Thanks. But how…?" she asked, knowing that it was because of him that Blair had come along.

"You forgot to turn on the white noise generator," he explained. "I didn't mean to listen in but we were down here practicing my range. Once I heard Bregman heading your way, I let Blair know about it. There was no stopping him after he heard of your need. He'd heard of the troubles others had experienced at his hands, so he's rather sympathetic with your plight."

"Want to join us?"

Entering the room, Jim sat down by Janet on the couch.

"Why are you hiding, as if I didn't know?" Janet asked. "I had to resort to asking Siler where you were. He had to look at the security tapes to find you."

"Bregman and his questions about Colonel O'Neill," the three chorused. Laughing a bit at the sound of their voices speaking in unison.

"Do you know that he had the audacity to ask me if he could see the Colonel's medical files," she informed them, an angry look in her eyes. "What made him _think_ that I would allow his words to lead me into breaking the patient/doctor confidentiality that I've sworn to?"

"What makes him think I'd break my sworn oath-a declaration I made after much deliberation on my part-and have an affair with my commanding officer? If I thought I was in danger of doing so, I would have requested a transfer to another team."

"We are women. Therefore we must be mindless dolls and led around by our raging hormones and desire for a home and baby," Janet dryly commented. "That when a man-even if he is our boss-offers us a 'chance encounter for our mutual gratification', we will sell our honor and jump him."

"Colonel O'Neill? Didn't he retire?" Jim asked, before anything could escalate between the two women. They scared him sometimes.

Teal'c nodded.

"Then why is he focusing on him?"

"People want heroes-flawed heroes," Janet offered, unknowingly echoing Teal'c's opinion. "Jack gave up much of his life to the military. Best of all, he's not here to defend himself. Mr. Bregman can say whatever he wants about him because he isn't here to tell his own story and defend himself against flagrant lies."

"And he believes this flaw is Major Carter?"

"That about sums it up. Trying to prove himself not a traitor, he admitted that he cared more for me than the regs allow," Sam answered.

"But words are just words. It's the actions that reveal one's character."

"That's where Daniel Jackson comes in," Sam replied.

"Jack and I have a strong friendship, much like your own. Many question that," he elaborated.

"Say no more. Blair and I get the same thing all the time. Even if it were true, what business is it of theirs? Don't answer that," he hurriedly said. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I can't lie, not about that. But I don't know what to say. How do you define a friendship that has carried you through pain and anger? Through widower hood, parenthood, repeated death, and madness? A companionship where I have strengthened, as well as been strengthened."

"Where they seem to know you and reflect you?" he half-asked, a knowing light in his eyes. He nodded at Daniel, showing that he knew what he meant. "You don't. When I was asked about Blair, I just stared at him. After a moment, when he started to stammer and sweat, I asked him how it was the business of anyone. Blair is my guide and my anchor-and that is all anyone needs to know. In fact, it was more than he deserved to know."

"He seems more interested in the inter-personnel relationships than in what we do. I almost want to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, we do live under unusual circumstances. That is sure to affect our relationships with each other, especially those in the military who are stationed here almost permanently. An unusual circumstance from all I've been told," Daniel said.

"Don't forget who he is. Bregman is a trained manipulator. He will try to get what he wants out of you. Or rather, what Senator Kinsey wants," Sam said.

"A simple answer would be best, Daniel."

General Hammond knocked and entered. "Why the long faces?"

"The reporter has been asking some uncomfortable questions."

"So?" he asked, puzzled. "That is why he's here."

"Bregman is more concerned in presenting workplace gossip as truth than in showing what we truly do," Sam explained for them all. "For example, he dug up Colonel O'Neill's 'confession' of his feelings for me and pressed me about it."

"Ah," he said. "What else?"

Daniel hesitated but knew that the general needed to know. "D.A.D.T., sir."

"He doesn't have the right to ask such questions about that," General Hammond began. "In fact, he shouldn't be asking questions about sexual relationships at all. This is supposed to be a documentary about our work, not a mini-soap opera. I think Senator Kinsey and I need to have a little talk about this inappropriate line of questioning. Even if we weren't military, these questions cross the line of good taste."

"Senator Kinsey?" the major repeated.

"It was he who suggested Mr. Bregman for the job," the general confirmed her suspicions. "You think he's trying to use this mockumentary to get rid of me by showing that I am incapable of seeing what's under my nose? That I allow my officers and the others under my command to engage in illegal and immoral affairs?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, sir." Janet muttered angrily, checks flushed. "And it would work out so well if he could get **_more_** than circumstantial evidence of it."

"Hence his wanting to see Jack's medical files," Daniel surmised.

"There are others he listed as well," the doctor darkly spoke. Her normally calm eyes flashed and made everyone in the room grateful that she was on their side. This was a view of her they'd only seen once before-when Nirti had nearly killed Cassie.

General Hammond rose. "I'm glad you brought this to my attention. From here on in, I order you to say nothing more to him. Daniel, I can't order you to do the same thing but I will give you my counsel regarding this. Remain silent if he questions you about things other than your work."

6

Daniel was roused from a deep sleep by the sound of frantic knocking. Grumbling, he stumbled down the stairs and opened it. Sam stumbled past him, pale and shaky. Turning after shutting the door, he stared at her as she flung herself at him. He barely had the time to open his arms to embrace her, while trying to decipher her continuous mumblings. All he could make out was 'symbiote', 'Anya', and 'accident'.

"Sam?" he finally spoke into the lull.

Pulling back, she cleared her throat. "Go get dressed. Janet needs to see you," she hesitated for a moment before continuing. "So does my father."

"Okay," he slowly said. In a few moments, they were in Sam's car heading back to the SGC. Though he tried to get more information, she was unwilling to speak again. Entering the infirmary, he noticed that his daughter was on one of the cots and Jacob was beside her. "Jacob? Selmak?"

"Greetings, Doctor Jackson," Selmak nodded to him. "I am sorry that it is such grievous news that has brought us together this day."

"What's happened?"

"Did not Samantha tell you?"

"There was something about Anya and an accident with a symbiote. She's not been…you're not going to tell me that she's…is she a Tok'Ra?" Horrified eyes studied his daughter's sleeping form but she looked normal. She slept peacefully on the bed, a slight flush on her checks but nothing more.

"I am afraid that it is a little more difficult than that," Selmak began.

"How difficult?" he demanded.

"The symbiote is none other than Oshun, our queen."

Daniel fell onto the bed behind him, limp with relief, fear, and anger.

Difficult? Oshun within his daughter was the Tok'Ra's idea of a little difficult?

His little girl was now one of the ancient Queens of the Tok'Ra. Which meant that she could never lose the symbiote. Or, at least, not right away. "How…how did this happen?" he whispered.

"She was playing with Charlie and a few of the other kids. One of the balls they were throwing went wild and smashed into the stasis chamber Oshun lives in. As far as we can tell, the symbiote leapt at Anya and blended with her. We immediately brought her here to see Doctor Fraiser."

"Why? We have seen blendings before, they should be fine."

"Not a blending like this, Doctor Jackson. Anya is to young for blending and Oshun was kept in stasis for several hundred years. She was weak when removed from the canopic jar, we did not expect her to last this long, though we are grateful. So, the blending was very risky and has put them both in danger." Selmak fell silent, watching as the young man came to grips with the news.

"Dad?" Sam's voice hesitantly asked. "We should leave Daniel alone."

"I am sorry, Doctor Jackson." Selmak said, rising to leave the room with its pain behind him.

He looked up, nodding a bit in acknowledgement. "I know. It wasn't your fault. You had no idea this would happen." Silence greeted this statement and he turned suspicious eyes on him. "Selmak, what aren't you telling me?"

The Tok'Ra hesitated and sat back down. "It had been discussed in counsel that what Our Queen needed was a strong host. They felt that she would recover faster if she had someone else to add strength and to share her burdens with. It was also believed that having a young host would help with the creation of more of us due to the stronger blood. Many suggested your daughter for she is bright for her age and strong due to her youth on Abydos. I strongly disagreed with them, saying that she was only in our care. That we had no right to decide what path her life should take. Anya may be a part of our colony, but she is not one of us. We were to protect her, not violate her trust. Nor your own. I was led to believe that I had persuaded others to see that it would be wrong."

"But?" He pressed, knowing that there was always a but in these kinds of things.

Jacob sighed. "The timing is suspect to my mind. I had left for a mission shortly after the meeting; I had thought there would be no more to it. Upon returning, I found out what had occurred. The children playing with Anya could not tell me truthfully what happened in the playroom that day. If I had but known that they were planning this, I would not have left without leaving you word. I am most sorry for the actions of my people and deeply ashamed."

"I understand, Selmak," he bowed his head. Once they had left him alone, he rose and sat on the chair, moving it closer to the bed. Professor Fox joined him after a while, resting her hand on his shoulder. His mind whirling with all the implications of Selmak's words, he didn't know what to think.

While it was true that he could understand their reasons, he wasn't sure that he could forgive them for the treachery. Even being around Selmak hurt him, for the sting of betrayal was there. Selmak had not thought to warn him and that hurt. If he had, then Daniel would've taken a desk job and taken his daughter to live with him. He had been denied that choice and Anya was paying the price for his inability to see what he truly should be doing. His fight against the Goa'uld had prevented him from taking her to live with him when that should've been his first priority.

All he could do now was hold her hand and wish that Shau're was there with him. She would be able to help him see beyond the chaos. Gently patient, she would help him find a solution. And even if she couldn't, she would be beside him to bear this burden as she had the first time he'd gone through the gate and met the Goa'uld.

_But I am always with you, my husband_. The sweet voice spoke into his mind.

_Shau're_? he asked, doubtfully.

A laugh filled his mind, _why do you doubt that I am here? I have always been there for you, as you have for me. Do not fear for Anya, she will be made well_.

_But what of_?

_The Tok'Ra queen within? Remember, my Dan'yel, that the Tok'Ra are not like the Goa'uld. They seek to help, not to hinder. And Oshun is a good soul; she will bring a beneficial life to our daughter. No matter what she is now, she will always be that. Love her for who she is. What she has become is merely something more, not something that has lessened her. But she still remains all that she once was_.

_They betrayed us. They betrayed the sacred responsibility that Jack gave them. They did not protect Anya as they should have. Seeing an opportunity, they stole her life from her! She should be allowed to grow up as a normal child. Now, she must actively participate in a world she was not meant for_.

_Do any of us travel the expected paths_? she asked. _If that was so, then I was always meant to be with Apophis and your life of sorrow was inevitable_.

_That is not the same thing, Shau're_, he protested.

_Is it not, my mentor? How so?_

_It just isn't_.

_That is not a reason, my husband_, her voice scolded him. _Life is a journey of mixed pain and pleasure. It is true that the life of the Tok'Ra is not one I would have wished for my Anya. If I had my wish, she would not have been harmed. Yet, it has happened. The life of a Tok'Ra is still a life. It is a gift. Do not punish Anya for what has happened to her_.

His head bowed and a peace filled his soul. _You are far wiser than I. I thank you for your wise counsel and wish that you could be here with us. I miss you_.

_I shall always be there. Do not fear to love again, my husband_.

"Daniel?" Sydney asked, breaking into his thoughts. "Are you all right?"

"I will be," he softly replied, looking up at her. "We all will."

656

"Doctor Jackson?" Anya, also known as Oshun, had just returned from her tiring physical therapy session. Ever since she had woken up, she had been put through a rigorous schedule of exercise and schooling. There were things that she had to learn now that she'd never needed to know before, like etiquette when meeting dignitaries. She was being required to learn defense and subterfuge.

The formal and adult tone of his daughter's new voice gave him pause but he nodded. Hearing it always filled Daniel with unease. Still, there was nothing he could do. This was her new voice and her new life. A life he wanted her to be prepared for. All the same, he felt that he was losing his daughter to this new identity. To the world of the Tok'Ra. "Yes, Lady Oshun?"

"I am most sorry for what I have done to your beloved child," she lowered her eyes in shame.

"It is all right, lady. You did not mean to cause harm and only wished to continue your life."

"But I stole the choice that was not only mine to make. I took it from the your hands, and the hands of Anya. Something which is unquestionably wrong in my mind. What I did was a betrayal of trust and self."

He shook his head. "You did what anyone else would do when their life was threatened." Blue eyes watched as she carefully crossed the room to sit in the empty chair. Though the symbiote had bypassed the damage done to her spine and she could walk, it was a slow process of re-growth of muscle and strength.

"Still, I feel nothing but shame for my actions."

"It wasn't as if you were given much choice. You had just awakened, in pain and near death. Believe me, there are worse things you could've done." His voice was unintentionally bitter and the brown eyes studied him carefully.

"You speak of Canaan," she said. The actions of the Tok'Ra were well known and generally despised, though they had no intentions of getting rid of him for he had much to offer them still. "I have heard much of his actions against Ambassador Antiam."

"The name's just Antiam," the person in question spoke calmly from the door. "Lady Oshun."

"Antiam, it is an honor to meet with a delegate of the Asgard," the girl bowed.

"The honor is all mine, Lady," she returned the bow. "Got something for you and thought I'd bring it by before saying hi to Adam."

"What is it?"

"The work of the Furlings," she handed over a canister. "Have fun, Dr. Jackson. Lady Oshun, it will be interesting to work with you."

"Thank you, Antiam," she murmured, watching her walk stiffly away. "She does not like us."

"Do you blame her?" he asked.

"I cannot, for we are the ones at fault it this. Do you feel the same way?"

He was silent, processing the question before answering her. "No."

"Even after what I have done?"

"You have given my daughter a chance to return home without the stigma her family would place on her paralysis. Though I know that she will not be able to remain, she will get to see her grandfather and uncle again. Something that I know she is most anxious to do, for she asks me about doing so often. I bear you no ill will. Any peace you seek will come only from you," he ended.

"There is much wisdom in what you say," Oshun murmured reflectively.

"I have had a wise teacher," he murmured.

656

"Antiam? Are you all right?"

"Why are you asking me that? You're the one with the snake for a daughter," she muttered, not surprised by his presence. Her leaving his office had been anything but polite.

"I know how much Anya meant to you," he began.

"Yeah, and I failed to protect her." She bitterly said, tossing a stone at a nearby tree, almost vindictively.

"Antiam, you didn't fail her. I failed her."

"Daniel," she started, turning to face him.

His raised hand interrupted her. "I'm her father, Antiam. Yes, you took her to the Tok'Ra. But you had no other choice. You were working in terrible conditions and couldn't leave your responsibilities to the Asgard. When I returned, I should've brought her here. **_I_** should've raised her. Janet would've helped me out. She is my daughter, my responsibility. I neglected my duty to her and left her exposed to this, not you."

"But…"

"No buts. What I am saying is truth," he stated firmly.

"How can you be so calm? The Tok'Ra have stolen your daughter!"

"They gave her a life. How can I begrudge her that?" He asked, his shoulders lifting up helplessly.

"They've taken her life, her right to chose."

"They have offered her a chance at life that I could not really offer her." His reply was blunt and self-doubting.

"And you're okay with this?" Antiam asked incredulously.

"Not okay, no. But I'm dealing with it and growing to accept it as every day passes."

"Why?"

His pained blue eyes met hers, begging for her understanding and support. "Because I'll go mad if I don't," he simply replied.

Sighing, Antiam bowed her head for a moment, then reached out for his hand and squeezed it. "I can't say in all honesty that I understand, because I don't. But I will be here for you."

"Thank you," he whispered.

End, Act 20.

Author's Note: I know that being paralyzed doesn't mean the end of one's life. In fact, I believe that it is nothing to worry over. It happens and we deal with it, though I don't mean that it would be easy. But Anya comes from an old-fashioned society that wouldn't consider someone in her condition as capable of life. She would be an object of pity. I hope that I have offended no one by this turn. _sigh_ My muse runs my stories more than I.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Antiam sighed, relaxing into the couch that Daniel had stolen from Jack's office when they finally reassigned it to another. Daniel had asked her to come by, so she was waiting for him to return from his mission. She wished she knew what it was about. Going into any situation-even with Daniel leading the way-left her feeling off balance and out of her depth. It was something she hated more than almost anything.

"I was afraid I'd missed you," Adam announced his presence, as he studied her intently. "You look rather done in, my dear."

She rolled her eyes. "I just arrived, drama boy. And I don't plan on going anywhere till Daniel lets me know why he wanted to see me."

"So, you hide in his office from him? Clever."

Antiam smirked. "He's not old and infirm like some I could name. He'll seek me out and find me."

"Ouch, love. That really hurt," he pouted, entering the room.

"Any ideas what this is about?" she asked. Daniel had been annoyingly-and surprisingly-tightlipped about what he wanted.

Sitting on the arm of the couch, he relaxed until he was sprawled across her lap and most of the couch. "I didn't even know that you were coming until I gave my report, so I haven't a clue. If I had, I would have listened more carefully."

Absently brushing his dark hair, she pondered the situation. "There's been no whispers of any kind?" she pressed, finding it odd that he'd heard nothing.

"Well," he began after a moment's reflection, "there was talk of a repository that may possibly contain the knowledge of the Ancients. Major Carter and Martouf took a team to see if they could download the information into our computers. Other than that, I know nothing."

"It failed," a voice from the doorway said despondently. "I didn't know you were back, Dr. Pierson."

"Just arrived," he nodded his greeting at Daniel. "You look tired-and sunburned."

"I am." Looking pointedly at him, then the door, Daniel waited.

Adam ignored the clue and remained where he was.

"Dr. Pierson, I'd like a word with Antiam."

"Go right ahead," he invited.

"Alone," he tersely spoke.

"My dear, I believe he's kicking me out. Are you going to let him?" he asked, sounding hurt.

Antiam shrugged. "It is his office."

Adam sniffed. "Fine. I can tell when I'm not wanted." He rose and walked slowly out the door. "Do remember me once in a while, old friend."

"Less of the _old_, old man," she retorted. "I'll see you later."

He walked off, a wounded sound in his final words. "Sure you will. When I've got one foot in the grave and the rest of me is just waiting to fall in."

Daniel shut the door, muttering about 'drama queens'. With a practiced move, he turned the camera off and the white noise generator went on. Sitting on the couch, he contemplated his hands. After a while, he cleared his throat. "The repository of the Ancients," he began, not raising his eyes to meet her own.

Antiam felt a terrible dread fill her. "No."

"You don't even know what this is about." He protested, startled by her absolute refusal.

"I don't need to know if you can't meet my eyes and it has something to do with the repository."

"Everyone else has looked. Teal'c tried again, we thought that there might be a chance for him now that junior's gone. I looked but was unable to access it." There was some bitterness in his voice-and anger. Once more, he had been denied the ability to help. Pushing it aside, he focused on her.

"I won't do it."

"We are working on a limited timetable that we can't predict. When Anubis finds it-and you know he will, that knowledge is lost to us. All that the Ancients knew, he will know. He will use it against us and we have no defense against that. The Ascendeds won't interfere," he pressed. "You know what Anubis is capable of."

"Don't ask me to do this, Daniel."

"We need that knowledge. It is the only thing that we have that has the power to stop Anubis and his quest for domination. The knowledge will not accept any of us. It has locked me out. Only you can do this, Jack."

She bolted off the couch, frightened by the sheer force of his assertion. By his belief in her ability to do this. "Daniel," she began.

"Do you trust me?" he asked suddenly. She floundered, thrown off by the unexpected inquiry. "It is a yes or no question, Jack. Do you trust me?"

"You know that I do."

"Then know that **I WILL** **NOT** **LET** **YOU** **DIE**."

She faced him, a kind of fury there in her eyes and face. A well spring of sorrow was mingled there as well. "Don't you get it? If I do this, it is on **my** terms. Mine and no one else's."

"It doesn't have to be that way," he protested, knowing what she was saying.

"Yes. It does. And you know it. It has to be Colonel O'Neill who looks into the repository-and he has to die because of it. No one else will be accepted," she avowed. "He has lived in the shadows long enough, the perfect soldier must be allowed to lay down his weapons of war."

"And what better way than saving the world with his family beside him," he sighed. "It'll be difficult. Janet will have to be there. And Teal'c and Sam will need to know about you."

"You plan the mission, Daniel. Don't tell Carter or Teal'c, though he knows," she ordered.

"He does?"

"Well, he suspects stuff. And he knows that I am different. Daniel, I never would have told him over you," she was exasperated with him. When he raised his hands in surrender, she turned their conversation to her death. "I will plan for my own death."

"You've done this before?"

"I've had to. Five thousand some odd years is a long time. And always with my _anmchara's_ aid," she cryptically informed him. "I must inform the Asgard and prepare the way for my return. Until later, take care, Daniel."

_Anmchara_? he thought, mystified. That was a new word to him.

Pulling out his dictionary of Irish and Celtic words, a gift Jack had gotten him so that he could add to his repertoire of languages, he looked it up. The inscription on the inside of the cover made him laugh. _Daniel. You might as well learn something I might have an interest in one day. Hey! Don't laugh. It could happen. May be. In my life time. Nah, you're right. It'll never happen. Jack_.

"Soul friend. Someone to be trusted over a whole lifetime. The Irish believe that those without a soul friend is like a body without a head." The implications behind her words sank in and he sank to his knees, absolutely floored with the shock of the revelation. "Oh, Jack," he whispered. Old conversations drifted through his mind. One stood out amongst all the others.

_How did you do it_?

_Do what_? Jack asked, puzzled.

_Live all that time without losing your mind_.

Jack had smiled sadly, but there was a happy light in his eyes. _In my first life, there was this man who had become my dearest friend. He was there for my first death. He was my reason for staying sane because he always found a way back to me, like he promised. I don't know what I would've done without him_.

_Promised_?

_Daniel, let it go. I can't talk about it now, its just to painful_.

Though they had had many talks about his immortality and past lives, that one was not one they had had while they'd worked at the SGC. That was something Jack had accidentally revealed when he'd been ascended. One of the few things he remembered from his ascension.

So, Jack wasn't the only one who'd lived several lifetimes, Daniel had as well.

Somehow, for some reason, he had come back into Jack's life over the centuries. No wonder his ascension had stricken his friend so hard. Had so devastated him. If he had followed the rules, they never would have met up again. But why couldn't Jack just **_tell_** him these things? Why did he have to be so cryptic all the time?

"Daniel, is everything all right?"

He looked up and saw Janet's concerned face. When he first had thought of Antiam and who she really was, he had gone to talk to Janet about his idea. Though reluctant, she had agreed that it was the best, really the only, option before them "Yes. She's going to help-and you'll need to be there." Pushing aside his emotions, he focused on the matter before them, trusting that she'd know what that implied.

The doctor knew what that meant. All to well. _Farewell, Jack O'Neill_, Janet thought. She had known that it was just a matter of time till this happened. But how would he pull this one off?

656

"Are you sure that this is what you wish to do, O'Neill?"

"Thor, I don't wish it. I fear this. But I have to do it," the now restored Jack said.

"You do understand that with the poisons of the sarcophagus still flowing within your body that to do this may very well lead to your final death? We may not be able to save you this time."

"I know," he sighed. "But it is a risk that I must take. Anubis will not stop and those that allow him to exist will not stop him-though the gods know he is violating their rules."

"Do not be so harsh on the Ascended ones, O'Neill. They are what they are, as we are. They follow their rules, as we all must follow ours. If we did not, chaos would rule." Thor remarked, turning a dial. "We shall depart for the SGC now." Beaming into the General's office, they surprised him.

Quickly, the general recovered and stood up with a forced smile. "Thor, we were not expecting you or Colonel O'Neill."

"General Hammond, I apologize that we are unable to help you at this time. The replicators have taken over a sector of our universe and we must deal with them so that they will not come here. I fear that they wish you harm for your aiding us. I have brought O'Neill to help you out. I shall return as soon as I am able." With that, the Supreme Commander departed.

"Colonel O'Neill, where have you been?" he stiffly greeted him.

"Teaching children along the Yangtze River," he shrugged.

"For two years?" he skeptically asked.

"I'm a slow teacher," he joked. "Why did Thor get me?"

"He didn't tell you?" He looked at him, doubt in his eyes.

"I'm aware that you know the truth, General Hammond. Work with me here, I'm trying to lay down a foundation so that Kinsey can't object. In order for us to get the information from the repository, there can be no reason for him to prevent me from going through the 'gate and using the information. You know as well as I do that there is only one person who can do this-me. And only one man poses a threat to all that we are attempting to do here-Vice President Kinsey."

General Hammond knew these words to be truth. Still, seeing the colonel standing there, acting as if nothing had happened, irked him. "And what of Major Carter?"

"What of her?" he asked. "I'm retired. She runs SG-1. I'm here because Thor knew of your need."

"Will you be able to follow her orders?"

"Of course, she would be my commander while we were in the field. It would be extremely arrogant of me to assume that I know what to do," he replied. "But that isn't what you want to hear, is it?"

"What?"

"You want to hear me say I'm sorry for how we parted. And I am, very much so. The words I spoke, though I felt that they needed to be said, should not have been spoken. So, I'm sorry," he finished.

"Sit down, Colonel O'Neill, there is much that needs to be discussed." With that, Jack was reinstated into the SGC. But _not_ into full trust.

Now, he would need to work to prove himself worthy of that trust.

656

Daniel knocked on the folded over door. "Sam, I have something to tell you."

His somber tone alerted her to the serious nature of the conversation. "Is something wrong?"

"Jack's back," he baldly stated after closing the door behind him.

Blue eyes froze, "how do you know?"

"General Hammond," he replied.

"When? And why?"

"Just now, the repository."

"How?"

"The Asgard," he answered. "And Jack is the only one who has the capacity to gain and use that knowledge."

"How do I face him?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" A voice asked at the door they hadn't heard open. Turning around, they stared at him, one with shock on her face. The other, a considering look as he studied the lined face. "What? No hello?"

Daniel smiled bemusedly. "You're a lot grayer than I remembered you being."

"Got everyone of them from you, Danny," he teased lightly.

"Hello, sir." Carter spoke quietly, giving him a salute automatically.

"I'm retired, Carter, ditch the sir and the salute."

"Didn't want you to think that I had lost my respect for you," she quietly replied, dropping her salute. "Like you have for me."

Jack took a step back, hit by the venom in her words, though he knew full well that he deserved it.

Entering the room, he closed the door softly behind him. "Carter. Sam, I'm sorry," he simply said, knowing further words were needed. "The words I spoke to you should've remained unspoken. Over the years, you have never given me cause to doubt your loyalty or your compassion."

"You hurt me," she snapped angrily. "You left me to deal with Daniel's ascension. Alone. Teal'c had his family and his rebellion to occupy and comfort him. Martouf and dad could not always be here for me when the loneliness got too much for me to bear. Janet had Cassie and later Nigel for comfort and love. What did I have? I had your work. I had Daniel's work. You both were my family! You were my brothers and my friends-**AND BOTH OF YOU LEFT ME**! You left me behind, like you didn't care. Like I was nothing to you."

The words bounced off the walls, crescendoing with her pain.

"Without thinking, you left me to pick up the pieces of losing my brother. You acted in a heedless, selfish manner and you think that some pithy words of apology will heal what you did? That sending me something 'sciency' will ease that hurt, that ache inside?

"**I NEEDED YOU HERE AND YOU WEREN'T**!"

By this time, she was shaking with sobs and curling around herself. After two years of suppression, the feelings were not going to be denied ventilation any longer. Mirroring her posture unconsciously was Daniel. Every word stung his heart and left him aching for her-and angry with himself.

"Both of you left me and didn't care how I felt. How I would deal with the fallout of what was happening to my world. All you saw was the scientist in the Major's uniform. **SUPER!Sam**, the girl marvel who could solve any problem put before her because that's what she does best. The Tok'Ra with the survival skills from years of dealing with the Goa'uld and doing what I needed to do to survive. I am a **HUMAN BEING**! I feel. I bleed. I love. I cry. **I NEEDED YOU HERE** **WITH ME**.

"I know that I'm no Daniel, sir, that I can't even come close to being your friend like he was, but did you have to make me feel like I was nothing to you?" Her voice cracked and she stopped, unable to find anything else to say as the sobs tore at her.

Jack crossed the room and pulled her into a hug, silent tears running down his face. With a whispered apology for his part in her pain, Daniel joined them.

656

Jack, Sam, and Daniel left the office hours later, going to Teal'c's. Though still on shaky ground, they were doing much better.

"I'll go change while you get Teal'c," Sam quickly said, feeling ashamed of her behavior.

"Sam," Jack rested a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Stop it. I behaved like an ass."

"You said it, not me, sir." She gave him a watery grin and a weak chuckle. "If I see Janet, do you want me to invite her?"

Daniel answered for them, knowing that Jack would agree. "I think we need this night for SG-1."

For the first time that day, she gave them both a true smile. Then they knew that they'd be all right. Later that night, as Jack and Daniel sat on the deck looking at the stars, the linguist offered his opinion. "You should tell Sam."

He sighed, shaking his head. "What of Jolinar? There is a reason for my reticence in telling people what I am-don't you think that Canaan is a good reason to keep it from the Tok'Ra?"

"Its only Sam and you trust her, right?"

"Of course," he replied. "But, Daniel, it isn't just her. Jolinar is always with her, she is privy to all of Carter's thoughts. Both women wouldn't wish to keep a secret from Marty or Jacob, so Lantash and Selmak would learn my secret. That's five more people than I can afford to have knowing the truth-especially when you realize that the knowledge would pass down to their future hosts."

"Jack, she thinks you're going to be around when this is over. When you die, it'll be a blow she's not ready for."

"I know that and I'm sorry for it. But I can't take that chance, even though I want to." He turned and faced his grave friend. "I am fully aware of what this will do to Carter, to Sam-and to you."

"Me?" he scoffed. "I know the truth."

"But I will never be Jack O'Neill, again. There will be no grave for you to go to for mourning or final good-byes. No place for you to go to tell me about what is happening or what new discovery you've made. The soul that is me will live on-but Jack will not." He made a conscious decision to not reveal that he may truly die from the repository download. Daniel didn't need to feel that guilt.

Daniel was still, staring at Jack. "I never thought of it like that."

"I know," he softly replied. "I will be as dead to you as to Carter-to Sam. It's better that she not find out the truth, Daniel. It would be more painful for her in the end."

656

Giving one last look to the original members of SG-1, Jack faced the machine. It was the same, black thing. It emitted the same, weird lights that he remembered. It still called to him with its siren song of remembrance, drawing him nearer to oblivion's kiss.

But he remembered the pain it had brought. The chaos it had established within his mind. The war it started inside him as two parts battled for control. Fear nearly took over and he had to exert control to keep his limbs from fleeing away from the device that represented a lack of command.

He moved towards its icy grip and felt it take hold of him. Felt the same pain and pleasure as his mind was invaded and rearranged to hold the repository's contents. Felt himself slipping away from the sights and sounds around him as the ground rushed up to greet him.

_Regaining consciousness was easier this time_, he fuzzily thought as he leaned on Daniel. _Must have something to do with being shot at_. Daniel shoved him through the gate and he saw the general waiting. Vaguely, he made some kind of comment before Janet hauled him into the infirmary.

656

Already, he could feel the knowledge swimming and reordering itself in prominence. But they thought it would be a day or so before it made its presence known. A fair assumption considering he'd been under observation for a day before their briefing and the infamous 'cruvus' incident.

"What?" he quipped as he waltzed up the stairs. "Meet my maker? Be pushing up the daisies? See the pearly gates? Join the choir invisible?"

"Should you be up, Colonel?"

"Janet saw no reason to keep me, General, and kicked me out. So, with your permission, I'd like to go home and arrange a few things." He looked at Daniel and saw the agreement in his eyes. "We might even have a wake."

"How can you joke about this?" Carter asked.

"It's what we Irish do. We're fond of our sorrowful joy. Besides, it's a great way to say my good-byes and earnest thanks," he replied.

Daniel winced at the flippancy of the reply, but yielded to the immortal's wisdom in this. "It will take a day for it to show up and I'll be with him should the unexpected happen."

"Very well. You're dismissed," the general agreed. "But don't call it a wake, Colonel, it might put a few people off."

"As you will," Jack shrugged, unconcerned by his words. What they called it did not really matter to him, he was just thankful for the opportunity granted him this time. He and Daniel walked away, leaving Teal'c, Sam, and General Hammond behind.

**Proclerush'Teonas**.

Poisonous store for the battery they needed, as he had somehow known it would be. Yet, it was necessary that they get it. Nothing would be possible without it. Beaming up from the planet, they found Bre'tac injured, dying from a hideous betrayal.

Jack healed him and fell against Daniel, an identical wound to the one Bre'tac had forming inside his own body. It would not be as lethal, yet it would be slow him down if he let it. Beneath his ear, he could feel the vibrations as Daniel spoke to ease the other's fears.

"Well, I guess you're more advanced this time," he commented calmly, he hoped. In the back of his mind, he wondered if his words were true. Later, as they sat in silence by the rings, he cleared his throat. "Jack, was that gift of healing solely from the device?"

Jack looked up at him, putting aside his work. The flow of Ancient dialect that Daniel addressed him with circled in his mind until the meaning behind the words became clear to him. "No. Yes. My blood gives me healing touch. Not very strong until amplified by device."

"But you do have this power to heal others naturally?" he pressed.

"If I scale back ability to protect my own self, yes." It was a halting explanation. Though Jack wanted to explain things to Daniel fully, it was hard to press back the storm taking over his mind and guiding him to finish the whatever it was he was doing to the rings. "Talk later, Danny."

Blue eyes stared at him sadly, knowing that there would be no later for Jack. Wondering if he knew it himself. Or if the knowledge blocked him from that reality. Life would continue for Antiam. An eternity of later existed for her.

But Jack would never again experience them.

Jack would never walk on Earth again.

Never pass through the Stargate that he loved again.

No more to speak with him, his _anam_ _cara_ again.

To affectionately nickname him.

Or call him Danny in that same half-loving, half-exasperated way that he had.

It filled him with an unbearable weight of wretchedness that filled him with its finality. Mournful blue eyes met soulful brown in a moment of true clarity and understanding. He finally figured out what Jack had been saying. "Jack," he reached out, pleading for something he couldn't say.

A well-remembered embrace caught him in strong arms. These arms that had come to represented safety and security to him, held him tightly.

Security he would never feel in quite the same way again. "You come back to the SGC permanently when this is over, Jack. I won't do this without you anymore. Don't ask it of me." He struggled against the tears threatening to rise.

"Etiam, Daniel," he softly agreed.

_Small comfort_, he bitterly thought, knowing that he'd withdrawn a promise from Jack his friend was incapable of refusing.

A promise Jack **_would_** keep because Daniel had asked him for it.

And one Daniel felt no regret for extracting.

656

"Sir?" Sam's voice broke and she leaned on Martouf. In her heart, she had known that there was no other outcome of the events that had surrounded this mission. The Colonel had been working to hard, to feverishly for any hope of recovery. Still, her heart had hoped for a chance.

Janet stood over him, trying her best to still her own shaking hands as she went about doing her work. _Why_, she thought desperately, _couldn't Dr. Pierson be a medical doctor in this life? Why can't he be doing this_?

It was one thing to face a challenger and take their life. It was quite another thing to deliberately kill someone. Especially one who meant so much to her. He had been her friend and one time love.

Daniel's eyes rested on her as he joined her. "How is he?" he asked in a whisper. He didn't think he could do this, not now. He didn't think he had the strength for what had to be done.

"Not good," she replied. Then she buried her face in his shoulder. "I can't do this."

Only Daniel heard the muttered words. His eyes rested on Jack's inert form. They rose to meet the pleading and accepting brown eyes. "Jack?" he softly asked, asking without words what he should do now.

"Aveo," he whispered in reply. "Aveo, amacuse."

"What did he say?" Sam asked.

"Good-bye, friends" he whispered hoarsely. Daniel knew what he had to do. Sliding the knife unobtrusively free from Janet's unresisting grip, he approached the chair. "Aveo, amicuse," he replied, speaking his own final good-bye to him.

Jack's thanks were heartfelt and brought fresh pain to Daniel. Stealing his will, he leaned over to close the eyes-and slide the knife into the stilling heart of his friend. "Tibi gratias ago," the colonel repeated.

Sam and Janet's twin cries of pain pierced the stillness. Martouf held Sam as Daniel returned to embrace the shaking doctor. Teal'c stood back, face stoic but eyes alive with grief. Master Bre'tac ringed down and realized at a glance what had happened. "He was a true man and a valiant warrior."

No more fitting words could be spoken as Jack's eulogy and they were grateful for the simple, eloquent words of the master warrior. For of them all, only he seemed to be able to speak over the grief they all felt inside.

The ride to a neutral world was silent. The body in the back made no move. It was at that moment that the reality of Jack's death sunk in for Daniel. Trancelike, he entered the room and slid down beside the body. His hand reached out and softly brushed back the hair that rested on the cool forehead restlessly.

The knife lay hidden. No eyes would see what had truly ended Jack's life. It would keep him from reviving, keep him dead, but then what would happen to him?

What was going to happen to the man he'd called friend?

And killed?

Unnoticed by the others, he slipped into a catatonic state.

656

Teal'c carried Jack's body down the ramp as they entered the SGC.

The President, Vice President, and General Hammond stood at the ramp's bottom, waiting to greet them. It took them no more than a glance to realize that the man had died in Antarctica. Anubis had been defeated; there was no doubt about that. An amazing defense force had been uncovered, for which they were grateful.

But the price had been Jack O'Neill's life.

"It went as well as could be expected, GeneralHammond. I shall take O'Neill to the Infirmary."

General Hammond nodded, watching with more than a little concern as the rest of the team staggered down the ramp. When Master Bre'tac emerged, he was not as startled as he probably should've been to see Daniel resting heavily upon the Jaffa as they moved. "Injured?" he asked, knowing that it couldn't be that simple a solution.

"Shock," Janet corrected, leaning on Martouf.

Sam stood-barely-on her own two feet and saluted. "Give me your report later, Major. All of you should get into the Infirmary," he forestalled her attempts to speak to him.

Nigel rounded the corner, having been alerted to their presence by Walter, breathing heavily as he came to a stop. Seeing Janet's condition, he took her into his arms and guided her away.

Once free of the doctor, Martouf clasped Sam's arm and led her away, soothing her. Not caring anymore what people thought, she collapsed. Stopping, he swung her up into his arms and carried her away.

Master Bre'tac greeted them, effortlessly supporting Daniel's boneless form. Blue eyes sightlessly stared into nothing-until the sight of Vice President Kinsey registered with him. There was a tiny smirk of satisfaction on his face as he offered his condolences for what had happened.

Snapping out of his shock, he decked the man as hard as he could, stopping the words cold. "Shut up, you deceitful liar," he hissed. "Don't speak. Your mere presence offends Jack's sacrifice and all that we do here."

"Dr. Jackson!" General Hammond exclaimed, caught between horror and delight. Kinsey had been asking for that, it was true but still…to hit the Vice President? In front of the President? What would he think?

"It's okay, George. Dr. Jackson has been through much pain and grief," President Hayes hid a smile behind his soothing words. Kinsey's attitude bothered him because he knew how the man really felt about the personal of the SGC. "Master Bre'tac, is it?"

Bre'tac had been studying the man they called 'president' and found much in him to like. "It is."

"Would you please help Dr. Jackson to the Infirmary."

"It will be my privilege to do so," he bowed respectfully, noting that the man returned it. Then, taking the enraged man by the arm, led him out of the gate room.

656

Thor beamed into the Infirmary with its sole occupants-Daniel and O'Neill. Red-rimmed eyes met the dark ones of the Asgard, a dim light of hope in them. He rose and bowed respectfully, before gesturing him to come forward.

Moving past, he raised his hand and scanned the body, turning away after a moment. A thorn pierced Daniel's heart and he shook his head in denial of the knowledge that Thor's movement revealed to him. "Thor?" he semi-pleaded.

"I give no second opinions when none is needed," he simply replied.

"I know," he weakly replied, sinking into his chair by the bed.

"I shall inform General Hammond of my plans to bury O'Neill in secrecy," Thor continued.

"Why?"

"O'Neill, even dead, is a valuable commodity for the enemy, as are you. While you may know of the dangers a sarcophagus presents to the soul, it may also bring life back to one who has been dead for a while."

Daniel paled at the thought. "Even with the knife in there?" he asked, knowing Thor would know of the reason for its presence.

"The sarcophagus would break it down, allowing it to become nothing as it does when you are shot and have bullets within your body. It was designed to do so," he explained.

Janet, who had seen Thor's beam from her office, left and returned with the General, Sam, Teal'c, and Cassie in tow. Trailing behind them, unnoticed, was the president. "Thor, its good to see you."

"I only wish that the times were happier."

"What do you plan to do?" Teal'c asked.

"We will take O'Neill away and bury him. If we can, the knowledge of the Ancients will be retrieved and shared with the Tua'ri. Though not as valuable as Dr. Jackson in this war, the enemies you have made would love to get their hands on him. We are not the only race capable of cloning."

"What if you're captured? Even if you've hidden him away, those probes could find out where he is."

"A wise question, Major Carter. Once we have laid him to rest, we will remove the location from ourselves, thus he shall truly rest in peace."

"Which means that we can't come," Daniel whispered despondently.

"I am afraid not. To remove the knowledge from your minds would leave behind evidence of an alteration, for your minds are not like our own," he explained. "There would be some residual memory left behind, though you would not understand its presence. Using the Goa'uld recollection device, the memory would eventually emerge. I bid you farewell."

The two beamed away.

Clearing his throat, the president spoke into the sorrowful silence. "I know that it is no real consolation but I was able to secure a spot in Arlington Cemetery for Colonel O'Neill. Rather than a public funeral as would be normal for a national hero, I will arrange for a private ceremony. I believe that when one considers the circumstances, it would be more appropriate. There will be a headstone for him. Maybe Dr. Jackson could think of what the colonel would want it to say."

Daniel felt the weight of eyes on him and roused himself from his grief to think about it. It was true; he did know Jack's thinking best. "_Arkadas_. It means, 'he who fights back to back'." The word had come to mind back when Bregman had been asking questions about them. He was glad he found a time to use it.

The president nodded, it fit what he knew of the man. "Very well. I shall see to it."

"Thank you," George said, walking out with him.

"It's nothing compared to what you and your people do. I only wish that it could be more. George, is there any truth behind the rumors?" he asked.

General Hammond stopped and studied his friend. "In all honesty I can say no. SG-1 has been though Hell itself. Twice, with only each other for aid. That is the kind of thing that will bond a team tightly. But then, most of the teams are that way."

"George, a simple no was all I needed. I trust you and your judgment."

"Meaning?"

"That the Stargate Program will remain completely in your hands and you will report only to me, as it was under my predecessor." A wry smile crossed his face. "I know of your fears. While I'm not sure of how this program will face its future, I don't fear it because it is in your hands."

"Thank you," he simply replied.

"Don't thank me yet. I fear that your biggest battle has barely begun."

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't speaking of the Goa'uld?" He rhetorically asked, knowing the answer.

"Because I'm not," the president bluntly answered. "I can only do so much against Kinsey-even Thor couldn't convince him to let go. But rest assured that I will do what I can."

"I believe that you will," he smiled. "And I do thank you. My people will rest easier knowing that you're behind us in this."

"I just hope that it's enough," he quietly said.

Arlington Cemetery.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Sam said, arms wrapped tightly around Daniel. His own were about her, equally tight. Both were wracked with shakes, their distress a palpable force. Teal'c stood behind them. If not for the look in his eyes, a look of one weighted down with sorrow, one would have thought he was unmoved. To his right, stood Bre'tac, Martouf, and Jacob.

"Life never goes as we expect it to," he softly replied. Knowing all the time that it was not enough to console either of them. There were no words that ever could. This was a loss that hit them directly in their hearts. They had not lost a team member, they had lost family.

Janet and Cassie stood with General Hammond, the Kawalsky family and Lou Ferretti on the other side of the headstone resting in the ground. It bore a simple inscription on it chosen by Daniel, though he objected to the addition of Jonathon. Jack had never liked the name and would much prefer to be remembered for the name he bore in life.

_Colonel Jonathon "Jack" O'Neill_.  
_Arkadas_.

End, Act 21.

Author's Note: Jack's being buried in Arlington. I think he might have been because he is enlisted in the armed forces, which is a qualification, I think. And he did save the world. I had actually meant to end it there but decided it would be too mean. Then again, what do you think? Would resurrecting Jack be a cop-out?

Tibi gratias ago-Thank you. At least that's according to "_The Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary_", updated from the 1913 edition by James Morwood in December of 1993.

Anmchara-pronounced an-_ha_-ra. Soul friend, obviously. Found it in a book, "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill. The reference is on page 177.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

Author's Note: This is the aftermath of Jack's death. It also has other details that further develop the events after Antarctica, so there is some before the ceremony action from those learning about it and stuff like that.

This part is mostly actionless, but there is some important stuff that happens. Further development of relationships, introduction of new ideas, Adam Pierson being a generally pissy individual, that sort of thing. This is a very rough draft of the story, but I'm posting it for two reasons. One, to thank my reviewers for their words and their continued support of my work. Two, to let everyone know that I am still alive and working on it.

Author's Thanks: Thinking of moving this section to the bottom of the chapters. What do you think about that? Would that work better than how I have it now? Or should I just get this out of the way so that one can read the chapters in quick succession? I wouldn't worry about it so much, except I am very wordy. I like to write stuff. Anyhoo, I shall be putting a blank page between this and the start of the next chapter just in cause anyone wants to read the story itself.

Neth: Thank you. J I'm glad their friendship comes off well. As I've said, that one factor always worries me b/c I've never had a friend like that (though I wish I did). And the story really hinges on the ability to believe in both Jack's humanity and his not being human. That was something else I worried about. Glad it works. True, it is different from "_Highlander_" but did they ever actually explain it? (I was never able to follow it b/c the time they played it kept changing.)

Yup, I just love the concept of an _anam_ _cara_, though my sis thinks I'm nuts. I was reading that book because it sounded interesting and started dancing about when I read it b/c it just reminded me of Jack and Daniel (the early years). I never thought about them using around the team b/c it is such a personal thing to them that I don't think they'd feel comfortable using it around the others-even though they are family.

Will I have "_Stargate Atlantis_" and the ATA gene? The gene will probably make an appearance but the rest is tricky. Other than McKay, it would be hard to write anyone who has not shown up in "_Stargate SG-_1"-we lost our cable so I would not be able to keep the characters IC. But if no one minds them being OOC, they would make more than just a brief appearance.

Melissa: Yeah, I think so to. There is so much left to tell. At least, I think there is b/c I do have a few lose ends to tie up. (Sorry, Apocalyptical.) I'm not sure Jack is the one with the destiny, I think its Daniel. Although, it could be the both of them uniting their diverse abilities to fulfill their main purpose on Earth. Then again, I never can tell what my muse is going to do. Him awakening with the knowledge becoming a part of him? Not a bad idea and it does make sense. We shall find out.

Mia: Gracias. End it with everyone's individual reaction and then start a new story where our immortal comes back? That is, if he comes back. Well, I do have trouble maintaining suspense and action over long chapters, that might work. So, I probably would divide it up into another story.

Jaclyn Horrod's "_Interactions_" series, I don't believe I know the author. Is she on or somewhere else? How long a series are we talking about here? The longest I've ever written is a trilogy.

Amaterasu, yes. I did kind of drop her off the face of the story, even though he found out the truth, didn't I? Doesn't sound much like the Jack we know, does it? It's just that I didn't know what to do with her. I did handle Canaan, though. He united with Shaylin and is living quite happily with the Tok'Ra, ignorant of what he did to Jack. I cried writing the ending, especially Daniel, Sam's, and Janet's reactions.

ms8309: I'm not sure what to make of this. Is it so bad that you can't say anything? Or is it so sad that words fail you?

Sheila: Yeah, I hated to do that. But I couldn't really see any other outcome the way I had written Jack's Furling physiology. Unfortunately, the poison from the sarcophagus still flowed in his veins, so he couldn't remain in his Jack form safely. In order to heals, he needs to remain closer to his Furling one.

Glad that you're enjoying it. Daniel hitting Kinsey really gave me some worries b/c I wasn't sure our mild-mannered doctor would do it. I am relieved that you liked it. The only thing that stops me from resurrecting him is that I'm worried that it might be cheesy, you know?

Apocalyptical: Glad you liked it. Well, I don't think anyone is going to find a story that they wouldn't change. I know that I've found some that I would alter if I could. Glutton for punishment that I am, what would you change? (I find that I am constantly revising it to make it work better. Of course, as much as I hate to say this for offending certain shippers, if it has to do with putting Jack and Sam together, do not tell me. I do not particularly like that relationship. To me, it just screams of sexual harassment and weakens both characters.)

Hmmm…write about Jack's secret burial. I don't think I could bring myself to bury him again. I almost chickened out of writing it and stopped the story right after Thor beamed him away to the ship.

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_Ring_.

"Hello?" a tired voice said as the phone was picked up.

"_Deva? Is Alejandro with you_?"

The sound of the sick voice fully brought her to awareness. "Of course. He's sleeping on the couch."

"_Please, I don't need to know the details of your love life_," he half-heartedly joked because he knew it was expected. But it was without inflection for there was none he could give to the words.

"Adam, he was in battle and refuses to be near me until the Quickening has settled down," she informed him in a chilly voice. "What has happened?"

"_Jack is dead_."

There was in that unearthly sounding voice that spoke of the certain knowledge that this particular death was different from any other death they had known in their lives. While there was no way of telling for sure if it was the final death for their physiology was different from immortals, there was no way of saying that it was just another one.

Unlike other immortals, the condition behind their final death was not always guaranteed by the action of beheading. In fact, she had once been guillotined and survived to live another day when her companions had found where they had put her head and body.

She looked up when a feeling touched her immortal nerves and nodded at her companion.

Alejandro sat down, his eyes focused on her rapidly paling complexion. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Jack is gone. Seemingly forever," her response was as quiet.

A gasp of shock escaped him and his own complexion became a ghastly white. Of them all, the warrior was the one they had foolishly expected to never die. "Are you sure that this is final?" He asked after she had angled the phone on her shoulder so that he could hear what was going on.

"_From what I was able to see, he was not beheaded_."

"Then why are you so worried?"

"_This death feels different from any other death we've known, Alejandro. Deva. I have never known any like it_."

"How did it happen?" she asked, her voice a mere breath of a sound.

"_I don't know. He went away with the team he used to work with. Dr. Fraiser went with them. When they returned from the mission, he was a corpse_," the reply was strained, as though the words were being torn from him. "_I was unable to get in to see him and examine his wounds. His team rarely left his side. And Dr. Jackson could not be pried away_."

"Didn't he know about us?" Alejandro asked. "I got the impression that Jack kept no secrets from him."

"_He did. But I did not want to bother him_."

"Why not ask Dr. Fraiser how it happened?" she asked.

"_What_?" he asked, as though unable to figure out what she meant.

"Dr. Fraiser," she repeated. "Isn't she the Chief Medical Officer? And she was with them, she would be able to tell you. After all, she is one of us."

"_Yes. But she seemed to be so overwrought that I could not bring myself to do so_," he lamely said.

Alejandro and Deva exchanged glances, reading the truth in his words. He didn't ask because doing so would be to admit that Jack was really gone from them. "When is the funeral?"

"_There won't be a public one, though there will be a ceremony at Washington when he is posthumously given some kind of medal. From there, a small party will be going to Arlington for the funeral. I believe it is for those who have a personal invitation_."

"So, we'll be sneaking in?" Alejandro inquired, already thinking of ways to clear their schedule so that they could attend.

"_That about sums it up_," Adam agreed.

"Why not just ask Dr. Jackson if we might come?" Deva asked. "I don't think he would find it odd. We met him once, at Jack's house a few years ago. Unless he has changed, I think that he would understand. He seems like such a nice young man."

"_He has enough to worry about,_" Adam finally answered the question.

"Then we'll see you there," Deva said, not pushing her point. There was something peculiar in the way Adam spoke of the doctor that worried her. But she couldn't figure out why.

"_Of course. Good-bye_," he said.

"Good-bye," they chorused.

"_Hope you feel better, Alejandro_." Adam hung up the phone and stood up, staring out the large window into the darkness below him. There was nothing else to be done now. All he had to do now was wait.

He hated waiting.

Deva hung up the phone, an arrested look on her face.

"What is it?"

"Adam isn't handling this well," she commented. "I fear what he will do."

"To Dr. Jackson?"

"I don't know," she murmured. "But we better keep an eye on him. Of us all, he is the closest to death. He **is** Death and no longer has a friend to serve as his conscience."

Alejandro was silent, pondering her words. The logic was inescapable. He knew how he'd react should he lose her. He knew how she would react should she lose him. It was the price they paid for retaining such close ties. "Perhaps we should give Duncan MacCloud a call. While not ideal, he has been able to handle Adam in the past."

Biting her lip, she thought over his suggestion. Finally, she shook her head. "I think it would be best to wait until we see how he is at the funeral. From there, we will proceed based on the evidence his behavior and appearance before us."

"What did you tell him?" he asked, recalling Adam's words suddenly.

"That you were in a fight and gained a Quickening."

"I did not," he denied.

"Well, what else was I supposed to tell him? He thought we had had a fight because you were sleeping on the couch."

"Why did you tell him that?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "He asked where you were. Did you want me to lie?"

"Deva," he growled, running his hands through his hair. "You have got to learn when to keep control of your tongue."

"Its just Adam. And he knows about us," she pointed out. "Why are you so upset?"

Having no answer for that, he glared at her. Deva smirked, got up and left the room. She had much to think about.

656

Off in a small house, atop a snowy mountain, a strange being sat. Tall and shadowed with a kind of blackness that had more to do with the soul than the skin, it sat and worked on the project resting in front of its odd form. Hands that were paper-thin and seemed to be as dry as sandpaper worked restlessly at a loom, weaving thick strands of colored threads through it.

A dark, wine red colored one strained against the hands. It seemed to be extremely strong, yet it broke as easily as a brittle strand of hair and the being cursed at the clumsiness of the hands that did the work.

Then, the being stopped, silenced as knowledge of what the thread symbolized slid from sub-consciousness to consciousness. The breaking could only mean one thing and it howled in frustrated anger.

The Warrior was gone.

And with that death, any chance for revenge was taken away.

656

"Father!" Ry'ac exclaimed, rushing to meet him and Master Bre'tac. He bowed before the teacher, a puzzled look on his face. "We were not expecting you."

"No," he said. "Something has happened that I must tell you and your mother."

"What is it?" he asked, anxious. "Has something changed within the Jaffa Rebellion?"

"Ry'ac, O'Neill is dead." Teal'c spoke the dreadful words and watched as his son stumbled back in shock. His son's eyes closed, hiding his pain, though he could not disguise the trembling of his limbs.

"How?" he asked, sinking to his knees. It was hard for him to get past the idea that he had lost his adopted uncle. But neither his father nor Master Bre'tac would lie.

Bre'tac took pity on the struggling father who had also sunk to his knees. He watched as the two embraced each other tightly and answered the question as briefly as possible. "It was in battle. O'Neill won us the victory but the battle took much out of him."

"I must tell your mother," he hoarsely said after they had been silent for a time. "Where is she?"

"With Se'shin and Ar'een," he replied weakly. "On the other side of the house."

"You two stay here," Bre'tac commanded, though it was not a harsh order. "I shall send her out and take care of your daughters." Without waiting for an answer, he marched off.

She looked up as he entered and his expression held her arrested for a moment. Rising to her feet, she joined him and nodded at his words. Swallowing, she walked around the house and stopped.

Her husband and son knelt on the ground-and she knew. Picking up her skirts, she ran to them and dropped to the ground, wrapping her arms about them both.

656

"Are you sure you wish to do this, Teal'c?" Drey'ac asked. Denied once more a chance to live with her husband on Earth-this time by the Vice President, she sat by the window in their home on Abydos. A smile crossed her face as her daughter laughed.

Young though their daughters were, both had their own personality. And were fiercely protective of each other. The smaller of the two played at her feet. Ar'een was following in her footsteps.

But her other daughter, Se'shin, was off with Ry'ac and Master Bre'tac. That girl was following in her father's steps. Already, she had tried to lift her father's staff weapon and had blown a hole in the roof. Drey'ac had feared to tell her husband about it.

Se'shin had taken responsibility for her actions and told him when he visited. When Ar'een had heard where her sister was, she had gone off to protect her from her father's wrath.

It turned out to be unnecessary. Teal'c had taken them aside and explained to Se'shin that she was not to play with weapons. Not because she was a girl child, he assured her, but because she was not ready for them.

"Someone has to inform Good Father Kasuf and Skaara about what has happened to O'Neill," he replied. "They view him as family."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Would you?" he asked. "I fear that I will not be as strong as I should be without your aid."

"Then I shall come," she rose and put aside her work. "Ar'een, go find your sister and brother, stay with them. Tell Master Bre'tac that I sent you."

"Okay," she toddled off and Drey'ac watched her go, with a bemused look on her face.

"Where did she pick up that word?" she turned to her husband and stared at him, noting the sheepish look on his face. "Teal'c?"

"I am afraid that I have used that expression around her once." When she continued to look at him, he looked down. "Or a few times more."

"How many times?" she demanded.

"I lost track after the twenty-fifth time," he admitted.

"Teal'c," she sighed. "What am I to do with you?"

"Do your best to be there for me when I mess up," he suggested.

Shaking her head in amusement, "I always do."

Walking to Kasuf, Teal'c clutched his wife's hand tightly with his own. Facing an enemy had never left him feeling as frightened as this. He knew that it had to be done, but the thought of telling them hurt.

The expression on Ry'ac's face as he told him flashed before his eyes for a moment and he had to stop, breathing deeply for a moment. Drey'ac waited patiently, her eyes on him full of gentle understanding.

They walked on until they arrived at Kasuf's house. "Ah, my friends. It is a good day…what has happened?" He asked, alerted by the look on Teal'c's face that this was not a social call.

"I must speak to you and Skaara about O'Neill," he replied, somewhat stiffly.

"Please, come in," Kasuf gestured for them to enter his tent. "I shall summon Skaara from the mines."

Drey'ac kept a flow of conversation going while they waited for Skaara to come. Kasuf helped her as much as he could but could not help feeling worried. When his son came in, they turned to face Teal'c. "What do you have to tell us?"

The Jaffa stood there, his back to them for a moment as he composed himself. Turning, he faced them and moved to stand behind Drey'ac. In a stiff voice, mostly bereft of emotion, he told them of the events that had transpired in Antarctica.

At one point, he faltered and his hands rested upon her shoulders. Hers rose and rested upon them, squeezing them to let him know that she was there.

"Are you telling us that O'Near is dead?" Kasuf asked into the silence. "That he died killing the Goa'uld that attacked Abydos and stole Anya from us?"

"I am," he bowed his head.

Skaara jumped up. "It cannot be true!"

He met his eyes and the defiance in the young man fled. "I am sorry."

656

"Oshun, there is something you need to hear. It has to do with one of the Tua'ri that your host calls family." A Tok'Ra hesitantly entered the room where their Queen was resting from her long and painful meeting with the Jaffa. Though she needed rest, it was decided that she should learn about what had happened on Earth before hearing about it from an enemy. She would be less likely to falter if she knew than if that information was thrown into her face.

"Yes?" she sat up, the tired expression wiped off her face.

Before the Tok'Ra could speak, Daniel entered the room. "I should be the one to tell her this." Sam and he had arrived moments earlier to inform Jacob of the events and ask him to return with them for the ceremony. It was what Jack would've wanted had he been consulted. "Oshun may be your Queen, but Anya is **my** daughter. This is news that she should be hearing from her father. Unless you have decided that I am no longer that?"

Taken aback by this venomous statement, the man looked at Oshun for a hint as to what he was supposed to do. Though they had known of Doctor Jackson's skills with the spoken word, none had ever had it directed at them like this before. None save Anise and she never spoke of her experience.

The dark eyes were solemn. "Dr. Jackson is quite correct in that he should tell his daughter this news for it deals with their family. You may go."

"I will return if you need me," the Tok'Ra bowed and left the room.

"Do you wish to speak to Anya alone?" Oshun asked, trying to be considerate.

"No," he replied after giving the question some serious consideration. "This is something that you should both hear. But I wish to speak to her directly."

"As you wish, Dr. Jackson." Her head bowed and the beads on her braids clacked together for a moment. When she looked up, the grown-up expression was gone, leaving behind the innocent expression of a child.

"Anya," he began and sat down on the bed beside her. "Honey, Jack is dead." The words came out faster and harsher than he had intended. But he was afraid that if he didn't say them, they would never be uttered.

"As you were?" she asked, not believing him.

"No, I didn't really die, remember? I changed into another life form, much like you now have another living within you. Jack was wounded in battle," he softly told her. "Jack has gone to the same place that your mother is."

For a moment, there was no reaction. Though very young, she had remembered being told that he had died and couldn't bring herself to believe it. To her mind, there was no difference between the situations. Shaking her head, she wouldn't hear of it. "That's a lie," she denied. "Jack is a soldier. Uncle Skaara said that he couldn't die. He's to tough."

"Anya, I am not lying to you," he softly spoke. "Jack is watching over us, the same way that mom is."

"Uncle Skaara doesn't lie," she repeated.

Daniel didn't know what to say. Anything he said would make a liar of her uncle. But if he didn't say anything, it would make a liar of him. All his words fled him in the face of his child's hopeful face. How could he destroy her hopes?

"I may not lie, wee one," Skaara spoke from the door, "but in this, I was mistaken. Dan'yel is right, O'Near is gone from us."

She screamed, hearing the words confirmed in the voice of her beloved uncle, and flung herself into her father's arms, sobbing.

Daniel held to her tightly, not understanding why Skaara was there. Just that he was. The young Abydonian sat on the bed with them and rested his head on his brother-in-law's shoulder, seeking comfort as well.

His hand reached up and rested on Skaara's head. A silent thank you for his help and a touch of reassurance that he would be there for him.

The young man leaned into it, craving the comfort. He hadn't been sure that coming here had been the right choice, but knew that he should try. He needed to be there for Anya and for Dan'yel. Besides, O'Near had been a dear friend and surrogate father to him.

656

Blair sighed, staring up at the ceiling of the office. It was quiet in this section of the SGC what with Dr. Jackson away for the funeral services and some of the more knowledgeable linguists, archaeologists, and anthropologists exploring the discovery down in Antarctica.

Jim entered and stared at him, shaking his head at the posture of his friend. They were supposed to go to R35-P6X in two days and they needed to get the team ready to handle the society they would be visiting. Not to mention that he held in his hand a sheaf of papers that had been passed along for Blair to work on. "Blair, that work will not get done if you keep avoiding it."

"What?" he asked, the chair legs hitting the ground as he looked at him, startled.

"I said," he gamely repeated, "your work will not get done if you act like this."

"How can you be so calm when there's this feeling of impending doom hanging over our heads?" he asked.

The sentinel sat down and looked at his friend. "Because I know that death happens to those who serve their country. We will mourn and miss them. But we cannot allow it to cripple us-or the Goa'uld will keep their advantage over us."

"And they already have enough advantages, Dr. Sandburg," a new voice said. They turned and nodded a greeting at the newcomer.

Taking that as an invitation, Rodney McKay entered the office. When they had integrated the Russians into the SGC, he had returned to full employment at the SGC. And the sight of new technology made his teeth itch with excitement. "That is why you have been asked to help Dr. Jackson and the entire linguistic department to translate this work."

"Do you realize what has happened?" Blair asked. "Do you even care?"

"Yes, I know," he waved him off. "And I am sorry about the loss of Colonel O'Neill but life mustn't stop because he's gone. Do you have anything new for the science department?"

"Not yet," Lt. J.G. O'Neill said as he walked in. "But I think I may have something for us to work with."

Blair nodded and sat up, taking the papers from him. "I'll see you later." Jim left before he could be roped into working with them. While not a linguist, his experience with learning the language of the Chopec tribe always had Blair trying to get him to learn another tongue.

Nodding at him, Blair listened intently to what the linguist had to say. McKay, though he had no real reason to be there, stayed and listened. If he was going to be working on this new technology-and he was determined to do so-he needed to learn the language.

The technology of the Ancients was the biggest thing to happen to them all and he couldn't wait to explore it. So what if he couldn't tell anyone? To figure out how it all worked would prove once and for all that he was the brightest mind in this field.

_With all due apologies to Major Carter and her work_, he thought. _But let's face it, her knowledge is supplemented by that thing in her head. Without it, she would be much farther behind me in our chosen fields of study_.

656

Dr. Carson Beckett walked into the SGC Infirmary and looked about him. While Dr. Fraiser was away, he had been called in to help them out. He knew that normally they wouldn't have called in anyone but there were a few extenuating circumstances. Right now he was looking for the Head Nurse Francis Blight.

"May I help you?" someone asked him.

"Yes. I'm looking for the head nurse."

"Ah, you must be Dr. Beckett. Francis is over there, tending to Sgt. Siler. Poor man, he got another staff blast wound from their tests. But they have been improving the armor, one has to give them credit for that," she shook her head in amusement.

"What?" he faintly asked.

"I'm Nurse Pasker," she introduced.

"But this Sgt. Siler, he's been shot. How is he? Why aren't you all more anxious for him?"

"Because it happens all the time," she soothed.

"It does?" he faintly asked.

"Of course. As Dr. Lee says, it's all part of the process of scientific experimentation." She laughed softly at his befuddled expression. "Don't worry, you will get used to it."

"Will I?" he faintly asked. When he had been asked to come down to help out, he had not been told exactly what he was supposed to be doing here other than holding down the fort and taking a bit of the burden off of her shoulders. Thinking it only a normal military base, he hadn't objected or did any research into what this place really did.

Now, he wished he had.

"Of course," she smiled. "Come on, I'll introduce you around." Still feeling out of his depths, he nevertheless followed her into the room.

Arlington Cemetery.

In the background, unnoticed by the mourning group, a trio stood with silent expressions of heartache, wreathed in shades of black. The now deceased fourth member would have grinned and made some comment about their appearance. How macabre a picture they made, dressed as they were in the darkest of blacks wreathed by the sunlit and bright colors of the grounds.

Finally, one could not take the crushing weight of grief bearing down and turned away. The others followed more slowly. Walking on either side of their friend, their arms rested over each other's shoulders in a tight embrace and they bore each other along the path.

But the one given the name Death…he shared his anguish with no one for there was none who would understand his own burden.

Pestilence and Famine had not expected him too. This was, in a sense, his death too. War and Death had traveled to many roads together for this loss to be anything less than a personal loss.

At nightfall, Death came back.

He stood his vigil and waited.

When dawn came, bringing with it a new day-and nothing else, he stepped into the shadows, puzzled.

And deeply hurt.

After the Funeral, back at home.

Sam pushed herself out of the bed near dawn and tossed the covers over Martouf's sleeping body. Standing in front of her bathroom mirror, she sighed as she looked at her pale and sticky with tears face before tossing cold water on it. Peeling herself out of her clothes, she turned on the shower and jumped into it.

Yesterday had been harder than she had thought it would be. Being excused by the president from further ceremonies, they had flown home in an air force jet. Martouf had gone to show Jacob where he would be staying. She had gone to their room to change and sat down, taking off her shoes.

The events of the day had hit her then. She found that she couldn't move, even though her body shook with the force of her tears.

He had found her there, tears coursing down her cheeks silently. Without a word, he sat down and pulled her into his arms. His own face had tears upon it, tears that he felt no shame for shedding.

"He was a good man," he gently said.

She sniffed, burying her face in his shoulder. "He was my brother."

They had fallen asleep, holding each other, though Martouf had convinced her to get under the covers. Martouf, she thought ruefully, what would I do without him?

Jolinar was silent. It seemed that she, to, was swallowed by a sorrow she did not understand and could not speak words of comfort to her.

She thought about how it had been to stand there and watch the ceremony. To listen to what little Daniel had been coerced into saying. Hearing the normally fluent linguist speaking so stiltedly brought home the reality of Jack's demise. He truly was dead. Jack was gone from them as surely as her mother was.

Tears escaped her eyes, thinking of her mother. Of Jack and what had happened to him down in Antarctica. _There was an accident. I'm sorry, Sammy. Aveo, amacus. Good-bye, friends. Sorry. Good-bye. Sorry. Bye_. Their deaths intertwined in her mind until they become one, solid loss.

They were gone.

A feeling of helplessness swamped her and she sank to her knees, sobbing at the pain of the losses hitting her. Vaguely, she felt the water from the shower pounding her back as the tears on her face chocked her with their ferocity but she didn't move. She couldn't force herself to even try.

_Fwish_!

The rings clacked together as the shower curtain was moved aside by Martouf. "Samantha," he whispered, voice distressed. Wrenching the water off, he grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it, rubbing briskly to restore the color and warmth to her skin.

Bundling her up in the bathrobe that rested on the back of the door, he picked her up and carried her out into their bedroom. After a while, the tears stopped falling and she fell asleep. Martouf sat down with a sigh.

Looking out the window, he watched a bird fly by and wondered what he could do. Rising, he walked out into the hall to see how Jacob was dealing with things. If all was well with him, he would ask for some advice. Dealing with such losses was something he would know how to deal with.

The house was silent.

Peering into the guest bedroom, he saw the older man sleeping on the bed. Nodding regretfully, he turned to go back to Samantha. She needed his care more now than ever.

Her fragility worried him because she had Jolinar with her, to help her carry the sadness she was burdened with. Why did the Tok'Ra not comfort her?

_Do you think that we are incapable of feeling the same sorrow that holds her hostage, my friend? Lantash asked_.

_We have dealt with many losses before. Why should this one be so different for all of us_?

_Jonathon O'Neill was a good friend to us all. More than that, he was family. His reply was simple. How does one recover from a loss such as that? It was the same when Dr. Jackson was taken from us. But we were comforted by the fact that he merely ascended. There was always hope for his safe and speedy return. Samantha will grow used to experiencing such loss over the years, for there will be many. But this is still new to her, she is still all too human_.

_But what am I to do until then? She is so bereaved, that I am at a loss on how to deal with this loss_.

_You just love her_.

The reply was so clear and so simple; it hithim with its rightness.

_Love her? Can it really be so easy_?

_Nothing is ever easy, Martouf, but it is all we can do for her right now. She needs to know that we are here for her, that we will support her. The rest will just take time_.

Entering the room, he checked to make sure that she rested easily and then changed out of his clothes into pajamas. Climbing into the bed, he wrapped his arms around the sleeping woman. "I am here for you, Samantha," he whispered. "For however long you need me to be with you right here, I shall stay by you side."

As though she heard him, she curled into his arms and murmured sleepily. "Love you."

656

Jacob opened his eyes, revealing his pretense. Not wanting to deal with the younger Tok'Ra and his questions, he had stayed still. This was something that the two of them needed to figure out. Though, in reality, it was the four of them who would need to work things through.

_Does that bother you, Jacob_?

_What_?

_That there are more people involved in a union which in your society usually constitutes of two people, she elaborated for him_.

_Not particularly, he replied. Sam has often been alone in her life, my job taking me away from her so often. After her mother died, I mishandled everything, for that was a hard cross for us to bear_.

_You were young and confused yourself. How could you know what to do_?

_I could have tried harder, he argued. She needed me to be a father, not just a provider_.

_Is that why this death means so much more to you than the others you have experienced in your life_?

_Jack's death seems so meaningless. A true waste, he stopped, unsure of what else he wished to say_.

_When is death not a waste_?

_That inquiry kept him silent for a moment, trying to think of an answer. When it serves a purpose, he finally decided_.

_Would not O'Neill consider that saving the world is a worthy purpose_?

_Not like this. I knew Jack, not as well as SG-1 did, but I'd like to think that I knew him. He was all about life and preserving it_.

_He was all about preserving his family's life, she corrected. O'Neill thought of his family and what was best for them. Saving them from Anubis was his purpose_.

_That doesn't work because he left Daniel alone. That's what truly bothers me. I don't think he would've left him with no one to care for him. As competent and intelligent as Daniel is, he does not think about himself and how to take care of his temporal needs. He gets so lost in his work, that he forgets himself_.

_He is not truly alone. Doctor Jackson has SG-1, she pointed out_.

_But they don't know him like Jack does. They don't watch him like he did. Even though he has his daughter and his family, Daniel is alone for no one knows better what burdens rest upon his shoulders than Jack did_.

_He survived after his de-ascension, she pointed out_.

_Not having his memories, he didn't get so wrapped up in his work. After he regained his memories, he paused and thought for a while. Well, there was the ambassador Antiam, she watched his six. I wonder where she is_?

_When Doctor Jackson ascended, he left O'Neill alone_.

_Jack wouldn't be so cruel to him, he argued. He knew that what happened to Daniel was not his fault. And Jack's the one who told us to stop healing him. That it was what Daniel wanted. No, I think that something else was supposed to happen-and didn't_.

_Selmak thought about his words. But what? They both knew that this was the only possible outcome if the Asgard could not reached. What else could they have been expecting_?

_May be it wasn't so much they, but he_.

_O'Neill_?

_Nodding his head absently, Jacob got up from the bed and went to the window. Yes. I believe that he was so used to Daniel pulling a rabbit out of his hat, he never considered the time when that talent would fail him_.

_What do you mean? About the rabbit and hat_?

_It's an expression, referring to a magic trick wherein a magician would pull a rabbit out of an empty hat to show that he had power to make things appear out of nothing, he smiled_.

_I see, she replied, though she did not fully understand the meaning of his words. It is a strange idiom, Jacob, but it makes sense. Dr. Jackson has shown a decided inclination for such amazing feats_.

_He laughed silently, he has at that. I think Jack was depending on it and never thought of another possibility. To him, that was impossible for Daniel was by his side_.

_Is Antiam with the Asgard? She asked, returning to his earlier query. Is that why she is not here_?

_I don't know. But her missing presence does add a few questions to my mind_.

_Such as what_?

_Jacob sighed and shook his head. They don't matter, Selmak_.

_Why do you say that_?

_Because they make no sense, he sighed again. How soon do we have to return_?

_Though intrigued, she allowed him to change the subject. We have been given a week to deal with this unpleasant business. Why? Did you wish to visit your son_?

_Yes, I just want the chance to reassure myself that he is still alive and free from the hold of the Goa'uld_.

_Very well. Do you think that we shall be returning with Martouf_?

_I believe that Martouf has made his choice-and it lies with the SGC_.

Across town, Janet stood in the same place she had all night. Cassie walked down the stairs and saw her staring sightlessly out the window. "Mom?" She tentatively asked, not sure if she should disturb her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Turning, she wanly smiled at her daughter. "No."

It was a bluntly painful statement that usually Janet would've avoided. Not because she wanted to protect her daughter from the truth, but because she hated being so hard.

But this situation called for such bluntness that was robbed of any hope.

Cassie came closer and put her arm around her mother. "Why? I thought he was like you."

"He was." She responded after turning around and staring at her reflection for a few tense moments. They never spoke of what Cassie knew about her. They didn't even refer to it but the situation seemed to call for it.

"Then why is he, you know, dead?"

"I don't know." The confession seemed to be wrenched from her without her consent. She faced her daughter, confusion written on her face. "But why would the Asgard lie?"

Cassie was silent. She knew Janet had a point. Nevertheless, she couldn't escape the feeling that there was something more going on here than what they saw. It was a constant itchy feeling that she couldn't escape.

But she couldn't tell her mom that. Any talk of her telekinetic powers made her mother feel uncomfortable because she felt out of her depths. She knew her mom was supportive but didn't know how to handle it.

All she could really do was be there for her mom, though she didn't feel that was enough after all she had been given.

End, Act 22.

Hopefully, the dividers stay in place. If they don't, I apologize right now for any confusion caused by it. Uhm, this didn't suck to badly, did it?


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

Daniel was the last one to be dropped off. He thanked Sidney and Nigel for picking them up and taking them all home.

"Would you like us to stay for a while?" she asked, studying his tried face worriedly.

"No, thank you. I'll be fine." He firmly and politely refused. The smile he gave them let them know that it wasn't because of them; he just wanted to be alone to deal with his grief in his own way. "I shall see you when I return to work."

Though the two friends exchanged worried looks, they nodded and waited until he had gone inside before driving away.

Opening the door, his nose wrinkled up at the smell of the stale air that was inside. Freed, it rushed out in an attempt to escape the house. Closing the door behind him, he leaned against it and let a sigh escape him.

After a while, he pushed away and trudged up the stairs to his room. Right now, he couldn't bring himself to think of food or showering. All he wanted to do was sleep and forget that this horrible ceremony and loss had occurred at all.

Dropping his clothes on the floor, he tumbled into bed and closed his eyes. For all the weight that had rested on his shoulders since the events of Antarctica and its aftermath, he fell asleep easily.

656

At the crossroads of the street, Sydney turned to him and asked in concern. "Did you want me to take you back to Janet's?"

Nigel shook his head, rubbing his tired eyes. "She wants to be alone with Cassie. And she said that, while she loved me, she'd feel uncomfortable if I were there while she mourned her old lover."

Sydney was silent before she asked. "And how do you feel about that?"

"Let me ask you, how do you feel about sharing Daniel with Shau're?"

"I don't think my situation is the same as yours," she hedged. "Daniel and I are dating. You and Janet are in a relationship."

He nodded, tilting his head to the side as he answered her question. "She will tell me when she is ready. But I know that she will always love Jack, he played an important role in her life. But she loves me, I can live with knowing that this woman has enough room in her heart for me and him."

"And I cannot be there for Daniel like you are for Janet. You of all people know that I am a selfish woman." The revelation was not as surprising as it would've been if they had not been as close as they were. Dropping him off, she drove to her own apartment and sat down on the couch, staring out at the evening sky.

She wondered how Daniel was doing. He did not seem to be dealing with this loss. In fact, though he was undoubtedly grieved, he did not seem to be facing it at all. There seemed to be some kind of hopeful denial in his attitude.

She was worried but she didn't know what to do.

656

_Knock_. _Knock_. _Knock_. _Knock_! _Knock_! _Knock_!

Daniel rolled over in bed, blearily opening his eyes and blinking at the clock, trying to see the time. He groaned, unable to believe it. But the glare of the morning sun through the cracks in the shade couldn't be denied.

Six. It was six in the morning.

He didn't want to deal with anybody at six in the morning. Who in their right mind was up at this hour, wanting to visit him anyway? It must be a stranger because those who knew him wouldn't be dumb enough to call him this early.

_BRING_!

The harsh noise of the bell being rung, then leaned upon, jolted him from under the pillow he'd been hiding under, trying to will the person away. Giving it up for a lost cause as the sound continued, he tossed back the covers and got out of bed, pulling on his robe as he did so. Tying it around his waist, he stumbled down the stairs and to the door.

Yawning, he opened it and squinted into the morning light, trying to figure out who it was.

"Dr. Pierson? Is everything okay?" Seeing the linguist there, all of his senses woke up and he gestured for him to come in. They had never been more than colleagues. Something must have happened at the SGC to bring him out here.

Adam nodded in reply to his greeting. Pushing him aside almost roughly, he entered the house. Turning so that he could face him but keep his face in the shadows, he met his eyes and asked harshly. "Did you kill Jack O'Neill?"

Daniel stared at him, mouth opened in shock. The question pushed his own query to the back of his mind where it was forgotten. Color drained out of his face, leaving him trembling with reaction to the harsh accusation and cruel reminder.

The past few weeks, and especially the past few days and the events that took place, returned to him in a rush. Going to Washington to accept the medal in Jack's name, speaking the words that he hadn't wanted to say, and then the journey to Arlington to reveal the commemorative inscription honoring Jack.

The endless silence that had filled the cemetery after everyone had left the small group alone. SG-1 and family had all stood and stared at that stupid plaque, wishing only for the return of their friend.

Stumbling back against the wall, he could only stand there and stare at him, paralyzed.

"Dr. Jackson, you knew what Jack was. I don't know why he trusted you so completely, but he did. I do know this, he should not still be dead. Unless he was deliberately killed by someone who knew how to do it," he stated. "Did you kill him?"

"Not in the way you mean," he finally found his voice and answered the question.

"What do you mean?"

Playing with the ties on his robe, Daniel regained control of himself. Pushing himself away from the wall, he started to walk away. "This is going to take a bit of explaining to do. Let me get dressed, we need to get out of here."

"Dr. Jackson," Adam began warningly.

"I will answer your questions but there are bugs in this house," he replied slowly, as though rediscovering his backbone. "Jack told me they were here. He checked the house quite thoroughly and the only safe place is right here. And I have no intention of discussing this in my entrance hall."

"Fine. We'll take my car," he stiffly followed him into the living room and sat down. "It has not been touched."

Shaking his head in disbelief at the words, he left the man alone.

Quickly, he tossed the covers haphazardly up to make his bed and grabbed some clothes from the laundry basket. Entering his bathroom, he tossed cold water on his face. Staring up at his reflection, he could only blink at himself. _Jack_, he thought with a half-hysterical sounding laugh, _do you find it impossible to make normal friends_?

He put himself in that category without reservation. If nothing else, he was honest with himself about that. Jumping into the shower, he allowed the water to invigorate him and bring him cognizant thought.

He needed it.

What was he going to do about this visitor? This wasn't just some random person Jack knew in his more than slightly colorful past. And he wasn't just thinking about his recent past as the colonel.

This man wasn't even the Adam Pierson who worked with them in the SGC. He was different from the man he'd gone on a few digs with. He was darker and harsher. There was a sense of _evil_ about him.

And Daniel knew that this was someone new. He _knew_ he'd never meet this man before, though he bore the face of a colleague. There was something definite about him that could not be forgotten.

This was Methos, the immortal who brought death to all he fought. He could not be lied to for he would be aware of the lie immediately.

More importantly he was an immortal, like Jack was. Adam would remember the truth of what had happened to Jack. It was one reason he was willing to tell him about it. Someone needed to know what had been sacrificed on that day.

But it also grieved Daniel to cause this man pain. For the two immortals had been friends for a very long time. Though their friendship wasn't as strong as the bond he and Jack shared, it was as deep.

It wasn't going to be easy to explain what had happened to Jack and why. Why they had taken the course of action they had. Why they had both decided that his sacrifice and death was the only thing to be done.

Walking back downstairs feeling a bit more awake, he glanced into the living room and saw that he was missing. "Dr. Pierson?"

"I took the liberty of making you a cup of coffee," he spoke from the kitchen. "I have it from a very reliable source that coffee is your blood."

A weak smile crossed his face at the reminder of Jack's opinion of his favorite beverage. It was a long-standing argument between them. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Dr. Jackson. I'm not doing this out of some misguided notion of kindness," he flatly said. "I still expect you to tell me what happened in Antarctica."

Nodding, he took the cup and they went outside to Adam's car. Over the roof, the sun glinted brightly and Daniel pulled on the separate piece of shades, hooking it over his regular glasses. "Are you sure its safe?"

The immortal gave him a withering look. "I protect that which is my own."

"Fine." He held up his hands in exaggerated surrender. Opening the car door, he got in and waited, looking at the immortal curiously. "Let's go."

Adam said nothing, just got in and started the car, backing out of the drive way with nary a word. In silence, he drove them to a park Daniel didn't recognize, though he thought he'd been there before. "Get out. We'll walk from here."

Still unwilling to anger the man, Daniel got out and followed him silently. They walked over the semi-rough path in the forest, going deep into the woods. Not knowing what else to do, he tried to relax and enjoy the quiet, chilly morning.

Which wasn't as hard as he thought it would be for the morning was quite pleasant.

Morning light twinkled with a slightly green glow. Birds greeted the day with a song, while squirrels scampered over the dead leaves and up into the higher echelon of the trees. A few drops from the morning dew sprinkled over their heads.

Idly, he noted the rocks that marked the path they walked, seeing the subtle illusion of lighter colors in the dull outer tints. There were a few other people out enjoying the morning, but not so many that they felt crowded.

Stopping, Adam consulted a map and led him off the trail to the right. "Do you know where you're going?" He asked, even as he followed his turn.

Adam didn't bother to answer the question.

There was a confidence in his step that allayed any fears the linguist might've felt about getting lost in this dense forest, though it did nothing for his other fears. And he felt more than a little uncertain about staying with Adam when he was acting so oddly.

Daniel almost considered turning back and leaving.

But he couldn't bring himself to do that to Adam, to leave him with his questions unanswered. This was one of Jack's friends, he kept reminding himself. Rude or not, he deserved to have his questions answered.

Besides, the immortal would come after him again until he got what he wanted. Daniel was not naïve enough to believe that this would be the only time he would be sought out. He had been told enough-and he had eyes; he could see what kind of man this immortal was.

The next time he came, he would not be so polite.

Finally the two men came to a stop at the bottom of an incline. Adam indicated that Daniel should sit down. But he stood there, staring down at him from a little higher up. Daniel shook his head, not wanting this stranger to loom over him.

Shrugging his shoulders, he leaned back against the rough bark of the tree and waited for the linguist to speak. Deep within him, he did feel somewhat guilty for doing this to Daniel, for putting the full weight of blame on his shoulders. Knowing Jack as he did, he knew his friend played a large part in what had happened.

He didn't care.

Daniel mimicked the posture before telling his story. When he was done, he found himself shivering in reaction to the memories it brought back. The sorrow was as fresh as ever and he couldn't stop his shaking. He vaguely registered that Adam was shaking as well and felt a new wave of concern for the other man fill him.

The immortal hid it when he noticed Daniel's study. "He wanted this?" he coldly asked, not wanting to see the pity in the eyes before him.

"Yes," he answered hesitantly.

Adam's eyes narrowed, catching the hesitation in his voice. "The truth, Dr. Jackson. Tell me the truth."

"Jack was, understandably, hesitant to look into the archive."

"Until you insisted," he inserted.

"I will not explain my actions to you, Dr. Pierson," Daniel stiffly said. "We did what had to be done to save us all."

"And cost us a good man," he bitterly retorted.

Daniel's head hung for a moment before rising to fiercely glare at him. There was only so much he was willing to take from the man. "Do you think I don't know that? That I don't wish everyday that he was here with us? I do, more than you will ever know. But you can't conceive in all your immortal wisdom that someone could actually be as grieved as you, could be more grieved. That I cannot understand what ache you feel."

"You can't!" he yelled, composure shattered. Eyes flashing, he got into Daniel's face and shoved him back against the rough tree. "You only feel an infinitesimal amount of the pain I know. Your understanding of my pain is only minute in comparison to what I know I will live through. Your pain will only last your life long. A life that is very small compared to my own.

Moving back for just a moment, he breathed in deeply and stared up at the upper strata of the trees. "Mine will endure for as long as I live and since I am a selfish man, that will be a long time for I will not seek a way out. I will let no one get the advantage over me. This means that I will always remember Emrys. I will always be haunted by that loss. He was my friend before ever you owned him!"

"Owned?" Daniel scoffed at the very idea. "One does not _own_ one's friends, especially one like Emrys. A thing you know full well. They chose to be a part of your life, you cannot order them to."

"He never told you?" he snorted disparagingly.

Whether it was about himself, Jack, or Daniel, the linguist couldn't really tell. And he wasn't sure he wanted to try.

"No, of course he wouldn't," Adam decided at last. "Why sully your ears with the truth of how you two met? That might make you feel bad about yourself. Emrys was always like that with you, Dr. Jackson. Always protecting you from that which he thought would cause you the most pain. He never saw you for what you really were."

"And what am I?"

"A selfish, grasping, ruthless monster that seeks his own pleasure at the cost of another's," he spat at him.

Daniel closed his eyes, a wave of anger sweeping through him. Those were words he'd heard before. Yet, not in this life he lived now.

It was in another one, much farther back than he'd ever remembered.

Teal'c had taught him much of meditation-and he had spent many months cajoling the past from Jack. Not that he had known that he played a part in those tales at the time. But he was able to recognize himself in them now that he knew the truth. In spite of this, he still found many things that mystified him.

Adam cruelly smiled, moving away. "I see you recall something of our past association."

Opening his eyes, he saw that look and turned away from it. The bark scraped his cheek lightly, he ignored the slight pain it inflicted in favor of staring at a small bug on the tree trunk. "I'll forgive you for that because I know it's your pain that's speaking right now."

"Always so smug, so sure you were always right no matter what the situation was."

Pushing him away, Daniel stalked off. He knew he could find his way out without aid from the immortal. He had learned how to keep track of where he was and how to get back from any path.

After all, Jack had been his commanding officer for five years. And he had a tendency to be over-protective of him. On the heels of his recovery from meeting the Unas, Jack had taken him out into the forest and taught him how to leave a trail. How to watch and track where he was going and then how to get back after escaping his captors.

Adam's voice followed his retreating form insidiously. "Emrys never saw the cruelty you were capable of. So in thrall with the prospect of your friendship, he never saw the webs you spun around him, binding him to you as tightly as a spider binds his prey to him."

"I'm not going to do this while we're both to emotional to think clearly. We might say things that we will regret."

"A bird of prey, that's what you are, and you caught him with little effort," he baited. "Jack thought of you as his friend. As someone who saw him and didn't care for his peculiarities, that was your skillful lie."

The linguist shook his head, though the words cut deeply into him. "You understand nothing of what you speak of if that is what you believe." He kept repeating to himself that they were words spoken because of Adam's grief. That if the positions were reversed, he would act in the same way.

"You were never worthy of his esteem," he stated. "He was your slave the first time you met."

Stopping, he stood with his back to the other man.

"Struck a nerve, didn't I?" he taunted. "You didn't know that Emrys came to you in the beginning under coercion."

"I suspected," he dully replied. Again, a distinct voice came into his mind.

"_Sire, this is no ordinary gift. This is a choice one from Northern Lands. A wonder and much sought after prize for this is a great storyteller of the people. The people call them bards in the land this one comes from, they have much wisdom to share. You will be the envy of all._"

That gave Adam pause and he stared at the back of the man shadowed by the large trees and the bright sunlight. "What?" he asked, intrigued by the words despite his best efforts not to be.

"Something I recall hearing once," he softly answered, turning to face him. Slowly, he retraced his steps and sat down to think. If he tried hard enough, he could press back the shroud that clouded his mind and prevented him from remembering anything from his time with the ascended ancients.

It also gave him a headache.

Adam sat down across from him and watched him warily. "Does Jack know?"

He smiled humorously. "Jack didn't even know I figured out that I am the one who kept coming back to him. He didn't exactly give me much time to say anything once the Asgard brought him to us."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," he replied casually. As though they were having an ordinary conversation and not a revelatory one. "Emrys was nothing if not consistent with paranoia over being exposed. All that you were aware of concerning your relationship, he knew."

"If that were true, he would've said something."

"Not Emrys-and make no mistake about this," he stared him in the eyes. "The man you were dealing with was Emrys, not Jack. Any time we plan for our deaths, we return to our earliest state of mind to think. For us, that is the most rational mind we have."

"All immortals revert to that state?"

"No. Just me, Emrys, and two others."

"Ah, you mean The Four Horsemen."

"I would advise you to never mention them again, Dr. Jackson." He hissed, his face so close that Daniel could see his fine eyelashes. "We are not fond of those memories. And we have no qualms about getting rid of those who dare to speak about them."

He stood up, shaking his head in disdain. "Dr. Pierson-or Methos, if you prefer, I have no intention of telling anyone anything. And even if I did, who is going to believe me when one considers the reputation I've garnered in the academic world?"

"Do not call me by that name," he stated. "You do not have that right."

Looking at him, he challenged. "If I recall correctly, I never have. But perhaps you know something I do not."

They stared at each other in tense silence, neither willing to give an inch. A bird passing between them broke the spell.

As did the sound of Daniel's pager going off.

"You brought your pager?" Adam asked, disbelieving.

"Jack hammered into me that habit. He was always sure that something bad would happen if ever it was left behind." The linguist shrugged, having never considered breaking that habit. Or why he remembered to do it even when his memories were wiped clean.

"You are such an idiot," he muttered.

"Actually," Daniel dryly said. "In many circles, I am considered quite intelligent. Jack is often one who is loudest in his acclaim of my mental superiority. But everyone is entitled to their own opinions."

"I wasn't talking about your intellectual abilities, but rather your survival ones. You don't seem to have any."

"Funny," he remarked. "Jack said the exact same thing to me."

He glared at him witheringly. "You insisted on having this conversation out where we couldn't be overheard, yet brought along a device that could be bugged. And you say it is only an opinion?"

"Jack protected it. Or so he said," he stopped, an eyebrow quirking in thought. "May be you should take it up with him if ever you get where he is."

A tense silence entered the space in the forest. If they had been close, Daniel might've apologized for his thoughtless comment. He might've tried to make some kind of peace offering and left things alone.

But he didn't.

And Adam expected none.

656

On the good ship Daniel Jackson, Thor stood over the inert body of O'Neill. He hated lying to Doctor Jackson but it had been necessary. Experienced as the man was, he could not hide what was on his mind.

And this was something that should not be known.

Examining the body, he nodded to see that there was only one wound. It did not appear to be deep, but the position of it was worrisome. Before he did anything else, he made an attempt to remove the knowledge from his sleeping mind.

When it did not work, he stood back, puzzled. Then he decided that he would take care of the wound and bring him back to life. It was possible that being dead prevented him from retrieving the knowledge of the Ancients.

Taking great care to not damage the tissue anymore than it already was, he removed the knife and put it aside. After a moment, the body began to breath. It was shallow, that could not be denied, but the immortal was breathing without aid.

After resetting the controls, he watched for a moment before making a decision. He had planned to wait for a while but this inability to remove the knowledge worried him. With the concerns they had over the replicators, he could not put off telling the council about his bringing O'Neill to be among them.

Thor walked away, making sure to seal the room so that only he could enter. Until he had talked with the others, he did not want anyone else in this room-especially Loki. He well knew the scientist's opinion of the soldier and it did not please him.

6

SG-1 stepped out and looked about the planet. When the Nox had called them, they had been surprised-and pleased. Daniel bowed to Lya.

"Hello, SG-1. Martouf," she greeted them and bowed to him specifically. "It is an honor to meet one of the Tok'Ra after hearing so much about you."

"Thank you, Lya. I have heard much of you as well and am grateful for the opportunity to meet you," he bowed and smiled. Since Jack's death, he had become a more central part of the team. Therefore, he was dressed in BDU's.

It had been a bit of an adjustment for him. But he now appreciated the practicality of the clothes and the other accoutrements that he was required to carry.

"How kind. You are most welcome here," she smiled. Pleased. "Where is Dr. Markov?"

"SG-16 borrowed her for an expedition that she has valuable insight into," Sam said. Her lips curled up into a smile as she recalled how nervous the doctor was in asking for her permission to join them on P79-3ZG.

"And Colonel O'Neill?" she asked.

They exchanged glances and a painful, smothering silence descended between them. No one wanted to say anything or move for fear of what might happen. Despite the fact that it had been two months since the incident, they were still adjusting to the repercussions from it.

Lya bowed her head, reading what they could not say. "We need your help." The statement was not without softness and sympathy. Yet, it was said in a way that they could not deny its validity or the urgency behind.

"What do you need us to do?" Sam asked, pushing aside her sorrow. Though she was doing much better, the feelings still managed to surprise her.

"You would offer us aid without asking us what it is that we need?"

Daniel smiled, though it was shadowed. "Why would we withhold aid from you when you have given us your help in the past?"

She nodded, growing serious. "You are most gracious. The Goa'uld you know as Anubis has not been destroyed as fully as you think. He cannot be destroyed because he does not have an actual form."

Daniel cursed. "He's Ancient Ascended. I should've guessed."

"How? Based on what knowledge would you have surmised such a thing?" she asked. "Do not blame yourself, Daniel."

"I knew what he was, Lya. Knowing that, I should've known that he would be able to escape whatever weapon we had found that defeated his forces."

"Daniel, don't. It wasn't your fault," Sam soothed.

"If not mine, then whose?" he asked.

"O'Neill would say that it is the fault of Anubis and the Ascended ones. In this, I believe that he is correct."

Lya shook her head at Teal'c's statement. "Who says that there is anyone to blame?"

This quieted them. The Nox had a point. When had assigning blame ever helped anyone?

The Nox nodded her head, satisfied that they had saw her point. "It is not Anubis that we are in danger from. At least, not directly. It is Ba'al. He has acquired the soldiers that were created by Anubis. They have found our world."

"Forgive me, but how is that a threat?" Sam asked. Past experience with the Nox had shown them to be quite capable of caring for not only themselves, but also those who sought their protection. "Are you not hidden from their sight?"

"From their sight? Yes. From the senses they possess beyond sight? No," Lya informed them. "For now, we have been able to resist them and continue to live as we please. But it will not be that way for long. We ask that you help us defeat them that we might continue to fight them. I have heard it through Thor that you have created a weapon that will defeat them."

Sam blushed and gestured to Daniel. "Actually, I wouldn't have been able to do it without the artifact that Daniel brought back. He's the one who found it and retrieved it, at great personal risk to himself and Dr. Lee."

He shook off her words, though he flushed in reaction to her words. "How would we get to your world safely? The gate has been buried and Prometheus isn't exactly easy to miss."

"Do you think we would not provide a way for you to come to us in safety? If you have the weapon with you, then we shall go now. But if you need to get them, then you should come back to this place when you are prepared to face them."

"Teal'c?" Sam asked.

"We have one with us as is required of all Stargate Teams," he calmly pointed out. "I would suggest that we find out how large a force is waiting for us on the Nox home world. Then, armed with that information, we would know how many weapons we need to take care of them. We should not return to the SGC with incomplete information regarding the size of the force we are to face."

Martouf cleared his throat and Sam turned to him. "Yes, Martouf?"

"If I might add something to Teal'c's suggestion?" Though he was pretty sure of his reception by the Jaffa, he did not want to offend him. Of course, he was puzzled why Sam was handling this. It was Teal'c's mission to lead.

"You may," he replied solemnly. The slight nod revealed that he knew what was in Martouf's mind and would explain later.

"Thank you," he nodded, letting him know that he understood the message. "I would suggest that we bring the artifact to the Nox. That way, it would not only be safe from Goa'uld hands but they would be modify it to serve their own needs that they have which are unlike our own."

"A wise suggestion," Lya said, acknowledging them both. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head to the side, as though listening to something they could not hear. After a moment, she nodded and spoke to them, opening her eyes once more. "I shall take you now and you will see the battle that is before you."

Raising her hands, she activated the Stargate. After a moment, they followed her and found themselves inside the city they had seen from the city's surface. Daniel walked around, his hands instantly itching to do some sketching to preserve the looks of this place.

The complete symmetry of technology and the environment of the outdoors felt so _right_, so peaceful, that he wondered why they had never tried it themselves. This place was so nice, he knew that Jack would enjoy it immensely.

It was unlike any place he'd ever been in before, all natural lines and colors. The path they walked passed between two sets of sherry colored trees. Above them, the huge leaves from the trees sheltered them and formed a roof. So interlocked were theses leaves that Daniel could barely see any light between them.

Yet, no feeling of claustrophobia came with the sense of complete enclosure. Air flowed evenly and lightly through the path they walked, bringing with it the smell of spring and light summer rains. It was like walking in heaven.

Traveling deeper into the city's heart along the winding trail, more of the inner workings were revealed for their study. Daniel paid it no attention, listening instead to the sound of trickling water underneath them.

As unbelievable as it seemed to him, the city seemed to have an underground river.

He paused and Lya turned, walking back to where he was. "Lya, doesn't having a river within the city cause trouble?"

"River?" For a moment, the Nox sounded confused. Then her eyes cleared and she smiled at him. "Yes, I suppose from this level it does sound like the river is underneath our feet, doesn't it?"

"You mean it isn't?"

"Of course not," she laughed. But it wasn't mean spirited.

"Where is it then?" he asked.

"All around us," she simply answered.

"How is that possible?" Sam asked, turning around to listen to them. "Aren't we in mid air?"

"We are," she replied calmly.

"Then how can a river surround us?" she asked.

"How does one explain that which is?" Lya asked her. "All we know is that it has always been this way. We have come to accept it."

"Oh," Sam said, slightly disappointed.

Lya knew what she had really wanted to hear but said nothing. There was nothing to say about it and she pushed open a set of doors, leading them up into the mid-canopy. Here, the symmetry between technology and nature seemed to evaporate completely. To their eyes, they could see no sign of anything artificial in this level.

The path they walked thinned along to the point that they were walking upon the branches of the trees themselves. Specially grown, the bark did not feel rough or scratchy. If they were to walk across it barefoot, they would come to no harm.

They had been cultivated for smoothness and to grow together, interlocking tightly, allowing the trail to be firm and secure for walking. It was easier to see outside from here and they could see the white clouds surround them in a secure embrace.

Daniel chose not to look out there to often. As safe as he felt here, his fear of heights remained strong within him. Instead, he returned to his study of the interior-and thought about something Lya had said when explaining about the river.

"How many levels are there?" Daniel asked to distract himself.

"Many, though you will only see a few of them," she answered him. Her head was tilted to the side and he wondered if she was having a discussion with someone. There was a certain look on her face that made him think about what they looked like when they spoke on their earpieces.

He waited for a moment, then cleared his throat. "Lya?"

"Yes?"

"While Sam is officially the leader of SG-1, Teal'c is leading this expedition."

"Oh?" she asked. "Why?"

"On Earth we have rules and laws pertaining to commanding a loved one in the field," he explained. "Since Sam and Martouf are together, it was decided that Teal'c should lead whenever he was with us. The decisions Teal'c makes will not be emotion based."

"I see," she murmured. "Very well. I shall let the others know."

Nodding, Daniel dropped back to walk with the Jaffa. "Teal'c, do you think we're doing the right thing?" he whispered.

The Jaffa noticed, almost idly, that Daniel had place himself on the inner track, away from the more open area of trees. He did not mind and kept himself alert to any changes in the way the younger man walked. "I believe that it is, Daniel. The soldiers are a problem and we should not have allowed them to remain in Anubis' possession."

"We didn't know where he kept them," he pointed out.

"And we did not salvage enough of his ship to find out the information, this I know. Still, it would have benefited us to find them," Teal'c said. They fell silent then and walked along, enjoying the feeling of knowing that they were among friends who would not betray them.

Though the idea that the Kull Warriors could show up at anytime was troubling and never left their minds.

"How is this accomplished?" Sam murmured as they followed Lya down the path. She was looking about her in wonder for she had often dreamed off what lay inside that city in the clouds they had seen only a brief glimpse of.

"What?" Martouf asked, glancing down at her. There was a look on her face that he hadn't seen in a long time. The return of it comforted him and made him smile along with her, though he didn't know the reason for it.

"The lights," she gestured to the candles that seemed to just hang suspended in the air above their heads. Each one illuminated the path with no signs of wavering or dimness in comparison to the lights they were used to. Even electric lights had troubling retaining a unity like this. The scientist within her found it absolutely fascinating. "Its like good old-fashioned cartoon physics."

"Old-fashioned cartoon physics?" he repeated, unsure that he'd heard her correctly. What did animated shows have to do with science?

"Hmmmm?" she asked.

"You said that this is like cartoon physics. What do you mean?"

"That's right, you never saw cartoons before they started to make them 'real'," she murmured. "It used to be fact free, characters could do things that in reality would be impossible. Like a rabbit flying by flapping a few feathers."

"How does that apply to this?"

She shrugged. "I can't really say. Just look at the way the candles just float in the air and give off equal amounts of light, I can't see how such a thing is accomplished by any of the principles I know and have learned through my gate travels. Absolutely astounding."

Having the joy and wonder of discovery return to her after so long a time given to her sorrow, Martouf didn't say anything. He knew that she would enjoy trying to solve this enigma. And if that proved impossible, she'd enjoy the fun of the riddle.

Glancing up, he noticed that Lya was watching them. The slight smile on her face let him know that she was aware of their discussion. It was then that an idea occurred to him that this display was not normal. That ordinarily, their own brand of technology would be hidden behind the physics that Samantha would find normal to her.

This was done in an attempt to distract her. To give her something else to ponder. A smile of gratitude crossed his face, sharing the moment with the Nox.

End, Act 23.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

Author's Note: Yes, the first part of this chapter does look familiar. I decided that I had better describe the Nox's world rather than just have that reference to it being like the elf worlds in the "Lord of the Rings" movie. I don't know if referring to it like that infringes upon copyrights or something-even though I gave credit where it was due. So, I took it out and described the place.

Then I shifted things about so that my chapters would remain approximately the same length as each other. Also, I should have mentioned that Teal'c was in charge b/c Martouf was with them. There is a bit of exposition in this part about the Kull Warriors and how they came to be, but there is a bit of warning when it's coming. Did you know that they have a name? I didn't until I found it on a website. Forgive me for not having it before.

This is the last time author's thanks will appear right here. You've been warned.

Thanks, Pagan Twylight, glad you find it interesting.

Ms803, glad you liked it.

Annie: Is it really anam chara? The spellings I used for both Anmchara and Anam Cara I got out of two books: "_Sacred Stations on a Celtic Way of Life_" (anam cara) and "_How the Irish Saved Civilization_" (anmchara).

Thanks, sarahmw42, I'm glad you were able to get into it and enjoy it. Yeah, there are a lot of crossovers going on here but…I don't much care for creating new characters. If there is a necessity, I'll do it- for example, Antiam, Balinor, or any non-canon Asgard. But I'm always afraid that _they_ and not those who really exist in this world are going to take over, be the main drivers of the story. Or that I'll create a Mary Sue/Stu. And I did try to limit how much the people I've pulled in from other fandoms do in relation to the story. I wanted them to serve the story, not be it, not sure how well I succeeded in certain cases. SG-1's bond, and especially the J/D one, make this story work. If you can't believe that it's real or they are real, then the whole story falls apart due to its own ambitions.

656

"Major Carter," she called out. "You may see our official wizard, Balinor. After, of course, you have seen Ilis. He would be pleased to let you in on his secrets of illumination-for a price."

"What would that be?" she asked, half-warily. Though the years of working at the SGC had mitigated her fears, every now and again they reared their ugly heads.

"That you not tell anyone here his secrets," she replied calmly. "Unless, of course, he gives you permission to do so. He is not an unreasonable man and would let you share it if he sees a reason for it. It is Balinor who chooses his apprentice and teaches them his trade. For you to do so is to take that choice away from him and show him no thanks for letting you in."

Sam nodded, hiding a sigh of relief as tension escaped her. "I understand."

But she couldn't disguise the sound of relief in her voice and Martouf shot a look at her, wondering what was going through her mind. He tried to see beyond the wall she usually placed before her when she unconsciously revealed details like this. But was blocked from his casual study.

They needed to talk about this sudden fear that seemed to come upon her. It was one he could not understand but had seen before. One that the others on the team were so used to, they did not see it anymore. There was a secret pain within his Samantha, one he did not know about.

One he wished to help her expel if she would let him. There was the problem. She was a stubborn woman and wished to look out for herself, even now when she had him to help her carry that burden.

Lya smiled mischievously, breaking into his thoughts. "Of course, he may also ask that you share some of the knowledge you have acquired with him. Balinor is most curious for a Nox, he loves to learn about the way science has developed in other cultures. Actually, he finds great pleasure in observing all cultures and learning from them."

"So he would be, what, a kind of Daniel Jackson of the Nox?" she teasingly asked.

"I believe that is a good description of him," she replied.

"Cute, Sam," he gripped good-naturedly.

"I thought so," she quipped.

Opening his mouth, his reply was cut off when Lya spoke. "Take it as a compliment, Daniel, for it is not meant to offend. Ah, here we are."

A door opened up into a luxurious room of cream. Sunlight streamed in and blinded them for a moment before they adjusted to it and looked around. In the center, two Nox waited for them on a blanket.

"Lya has told me much of you, SG-1. Though you do not know me, I am well aware of your first visit to our world. I believe you learned much from that day. Please, sit down and join us." One of them invited. The child rose and waited for them to be seated before he sat down again. "I am known as Ilis and this is Xo-shur."

Ilis had a longer wreath of flowers in her white hair than Lya. Her robe was a lighter color than any they had seen before. It occurred to Daniel that this color scheme must have something to do with rank. Her gray eyes were full of wisdom and great wonder as she studied them all.

"How do you do," Daniel greeted them, bowing low. "Tell us, what would you have us do?"

The Nox woman smiled in approval at his words and the attitude he exhibited. What Lya had said of him was true. Daniel Jackson was a genuine person. There was no guile in him, unlike in so many others they had met over the years. "You have learned to ask before taking action, that shows that you have learned wisdom over the years. Though I believe that had always been your way," there was humor in her voice as she said that. "I can see why the Asgard and the Ascended Ones were taken with the human race once more."

"Excuse me?" Sam asked. "They have observed us in the past?"

"Of course," she replied, as though it was common knowledge.

In truth, Sam thought, it was. To hear it confirmed out loud was the shocking thing.

"However that is not the purpose for your visit," Ilis firmly said. "You have come to help us with Ba'al and his soldiers. As loath as we are to bring weapons into our peaceful world, they have been brought here by an enemy we were not expecting. War has come to us once again and we do not have the ability any longer to fight it off as we once did for the enemy's arm has lengthened and strengthened."

Xo-shur spoke up, his child voice sounding eerily adult to their ears. He sat up straight, bathed in the soft sunlight behind him. "Ba'al came here two moons ago. The first time, he was easily driven off. His second offensive has been much more tenuous, though he has not made any effort to turn his campaign into a long siege against us. Our informants have told us that he appears to be waiting for something, although we do not know what."

"They believe as we once did that there is an animal here with the ability to become invisible," Teal'c said. "If he believes that capturing such an animal would give him the opportunity to figure out how it is accomplished. Knowing this would give him an advantage over the other Goa'ulds _and_ in any confrontation with us."

Ilis nodded considering the wisdom in the words. "This belief would explain his reluctance in engaging in what you would call total war. Lya, I think it is time that we show them what they are up against. Dr. Jackson, I wish to have a word with you."

Confused, he looked at Teal'c and he nodded before the rest of SG-1 followed after Lya to see what force had come to this world.

Once they had gone, Daniel turned to Ilis. "What is it?" He nervously asked, recalling full well the last time he'd been left alone on a planet that was in the midst of a war.

Granted, that war was one of their own doing and this one was one that had been brought to the Nox's world. They would not be participating if not for the fact that it was on their front door step. No other alternatives could be found when dealing with the Goa'uld.

It had to be war-or slavery.

Either way would mean a loss of their way of life and the lives of those they protected.

"It is not what you think, Dr. Jackson. What we have to talk about deals with you and the technology of the Ancients. You have been trying to use it, have you not?"

"Someone has to," he defended himself. Though there was no condemnation in the eyes of the Nox, he felt the need to explain. "Those we have found with the Ancient gene are either so self-conscious about using it, they refuse to even try. Or they try to hard and make a mess out of it. We have yet to find anyone who will trust that the technology, that the gene, will not over take them and obscure their own personality. But the story of what has happened to Jack is to well known."

"Yes, Colonel O'Neill. Xo-shun remembers him," Ilis said. "I am sorry to hear that he is gone from this world."

"It is a loss," he tried to shrug it off.

"Yet, it wounds you deeply."

Pained blue eyes meet her dark black ones. He was at a loss for words, yet knew he had to speak to her. "Jack O'Neill was my friend. The first best friend I ever had. I could not honestly speak of myself as his friend if I did not still feel his loss. If I did not still mourn for him as he would-and has-for me."

"It is more than that," Xo-shun spoke softly. "O'Neill was a friend in more than name. He was your _anmchara_."

Daniel inhaled sharply, the word striking his heart and twisting it into tiny knots. It was a word he had never expected to hear again. And to hear it from this young boy in all his innocence, tore at him.

"How did you know that?" he asked hoarsely.

Xo-shun moved to sit beside the archaeologist. From this position, Daniel could clearly see the boy's eyes. Though they smiled and seemed to glow with life, there was a certain tint to them that revealed the child's blindness.

Daniel wondered about that in the back of his mind. Why, when they have powers to restore the dead to life, would they keep this child from sight?

"It is common knowledge among all the races," he informed him quite calmly.

"All the races?" he faintly repeated.

"Not everyone," Ilis corrected them both confidently. "If they all knew, you would be in much greater danger than you are already."

"Oh, that's a relief," he snarked.

"It is indeed," Ilis severely said. "It is not something you should joke about."

"No," he sighed. His hands ran through his hair as he tried to reorder his thoughts into some kind of pattern. Finally, he gave up and went with what his gut was telling him. "I suppose not. Yet, if I do not laugh about this, I would find it all so incredibly unreal that I would lose my mind trying to contemplate its enormity. Why are we different?"

"What do you mean?" Xo-shun asked.

"Why were we singled out?" He asked, trying to be as focused as he could.

"You singled yourself out," Xo-shun replied calmly. "The first time you two met, something kinetic happened between you. There was a kind of inescapable bond to the way you two connected. I believe that you are what in your world is called ying and yang, two halves of a whole, a balance in an unbalanced world."

"Daniel," Sam called out. "Could you come here for a minute?"

"Go on." Ilis gestured to the door with a gracious smile on her face. She knew the confusion that existed in his mind and gave him the chance to regroup. She also worried about him. This lack of closure with his friend was not healthy. "Our conversation can wait until a more opportune time. Ba'al and his forces are more important, for the moment."

Rising, he walked out in a daze, following after Xo-shun. The young Nox led him down the stairs and along a long passage. Clearing the corridor, he saw Sam and Teal'c waiting for him in front of a window. Standing between the two of them, he looked out and saw the large force below them. And more on the way. Seemed Ba'al had changed his tactics.

"This is very bad," he said on a sigh.

"That was our conclusion as well," Teal'c intoned.

That's our Teal'c, he thought fondly, the true master of understatement. "So, what do we about them now? Can we afford to wait?"

Balinor cleared his throat and stood off to their left. Sam and Daniel stared at him in shock. This was the official Nox wizard? The humans found it hard to reconcile their minds to this being's youthful appearance, though many books and a few movies had been released in the past few years that had twisted the image of a wizard into new images.

They still saw the prevailing one of the ages. That of an aged, bearded man with a staff in his hand and an unfocused look in his eyes.

He stood straight and tall. Eyes that seemed to shine with the light of knowledge, danced with green sparkles. Unlike the other Nox, his hair was bound away from his face in a braid and was a darker shade of blonde. Even the normal adornments of his people were tamed.

"I have been examining your…weapon and find it most primitive. Effective, that is true but it is primitive. Yet, I think it will be most useful to our purpose."

"Primitive?" Sam muttered. "It was the best we could do."

The Nox scientist smiled at her, taking the sting from his words. "Major Carter, there was no offense meant on my part. Your sciences, while advanced, are far from our own technological achievements. To combine the two different intelligences will be a most difficult thing to accomplish. Therefore, I propose that we take it apart and start from scratch. It will be most difficult but I believe that we can achieve this task if we work hard enough."

"I appreciate the offer," she said. "But will we be able to do this in time?"

"We know nothing unless we try. Come along," Balinor wandered off into his lab.

Given no other alternatives-at least ones she felt free to pursue at that time, she followed him.

"This is a good thing," Martouf nodded his approval from the shadows. "Samantha has long needed a project to occupy her mind."

"Teal'c, I am sorry if by my ignorance of your new role, I have offended you in some way."

"I have found no offense in your manner towards me," he replied calmly. "Major Carter guiding our team is what you were expecting. There are many others who have not be so kind towards me because of what I have been in my past."

"I understand. There are many who let the past color their vision of the future. They do not allow them to learn from the mistakes of others. Or see that people do change if given the chance. It is unfortunate but a part of life. Would you and Martouf, would you care to join me?" Lya asked.

"We would be honored to accompany you," he answered.

She shook her head at the linguist who made to join them. "Daniel, I believe that Avaria has some writings that you might be interested in. They cover the history of our coming to this world and talk about our alliance."

"Thank you, Lya."

"Xo-shun, will you take Daniel to Avaria's library?" she asked.

The young boy smiled, practically bouncing. "It would be my pleasure to do so. Aunt Lya, I have been good all day. May I stay with her?"

She indulgently smiled at him, but shook her head. "You know as well as I do that it is not up to me to tell you what to do. This is your day with your Aunt Ilis. If you wish to be in the library, you must ask her."

"Yes, aunt." He sighed, then took Daniel's hand and led him in the opposite direction of their journey down here.

"Might I ask you a question?" He asked as the two walked along in silence. Though nervous about how it would sound, he really wanted to know.

"I chose to stay blind." The boy replied, sparing him the necessity of doing so.

"Why?" He asked, relieved that there seemed to be no sign of his being offended by the question.

"I find it easier to see more with my heart than with my eyes," his answer was simple.

"But why do you need to?"

"I am to replace Ilis in time," he simply said. As the linguist thought about that, they turned the corner and walked a little further under an open roof. "We are here," he announced after a time, flinging open a set of doors.

"Thank you," he murmured as he looked about him in awe. "This place is incredible."

"It is one of my favorite rooms," he agreed before leaving him.

Stepping into the large, circular room, Daniel felt over whelmed by the sheer force of the wisdom that was housed here. A large, white tree rose out of the ground in the center of the room. Its roots seemed to be the benches that the Nox would sit on when they came in here to read.

After a moment of silence, he felt more than heard the doors shut behind him. Walking around, he noticed that there were no books anywhere to be seen. No sign that anything was stored on some kind of technological marvel. The history and legends were all written on scrolls and parchments.

And they proliferated around the entire room in numerous quantities.

He felt that if he stood there long enough, he would witness it happening.

Searching the space, he realized with a faint sense of disappointment that it was nothing quite so magical. Off to the right, there was a desk and he could see a quill moving back and forth in the hand of a young Nox female.

In fact, to his human eyes, the Nox appeared to be a child.

The child had darker hair than the others he had met, as though being kept inside had prevented it from lightening to the normal shades of her people. It was tamed and dressed much the same way as Balinor wore his. Daniel wondered if there was a connection between the two. Or if it was more mundane, that it had to do with their jobs.

She looked up when he cleared his throat, her gray eyes unfocused. They sharpened upon recognition of him. Like everyone else they had met, a smile came easily to her face. Her light pink dress shimmering with her movements as she rose to meet him. "Dr. Jackson? I am Avaria."

"Hello," he said, trying to reconcile this child with the authority of her position.

"I am sure that I must seem strange to you. But, despite my appearance, I am over nineteen hundred years," she laughed at his flabbergasted expression. "Surely you must recognize that all races age along different lines."

He chuckled along with her, though it sounded slightly self-conscious. "Well, yes, I did. But it is rare to be confronted with it these days."

That sobered them up, her head shook sadly. "Yes, Anubis and his machinations have caused much damage across the galaxy. Now, Ba'al is taking over his army. It is not encouraging."

"Tell me about it," he muttered.

"Well," she briskly waved her hands as though to rid them of the melancholy mood. "I know of your interest in the Ancients. Unfortunately, I misplaced their works years ago when we moved here. I do have things about our alliance and how it came about. I was also able to pull out some information about the Furlings."

"Really?" He asked, his blue eyes alive with interest.

"It is not much, they did not believe in keeping a recorded history. To them, to write on paper striped them of their soul. Knowing more about them will not help you," she replied, somewhat startled by his interest.

"Even a little information about them would be interesting," he waved off her words. "We know almost next to nothing of them."

Avaria silently contemplated his words. There was much wisdom found in what he said, she supposed. The Tua'ri were a curious race, would it not be best to learn from one of the races that knew them? That knew how the Furlings felt about getting involved?

"I will tell you what I remember of them," she finally decided.

"Thank you," he said. "I appreciate this."

She waved off his words. Once she had decided on the proper course of action, she impatiently wanted to get it spoken of and move on. "They are a powerful race. Although they are somewhat prideful. Not without reason, mind you, and they are not as strongly arrogant as the Goa'uld."

I doubt any race could be that arrogant," he bitterly muttered.

"Headless and passionate, loyal to a fault, they give their all once they've made the decision to do so." She carried on speaking, though she did glare at him for his interruption. "Death means nothing to them, for they do not see it as permanent. They believe that they will live on in the others who come after them. That the actions they made in life speak of the lives they lived, the way they loved. They are rash, brash, and some of the bravest warriors you'll ever have on your side. Born warriors who deeply love knowledge and learning, they see it as their duty to protect the soul of their people, their bards."

"Bards?" Daniel mused when she paused in her explanation. He figured she was waiting for him to comment and he was more than happy to oblige. "I've heard that term before. Yes, it something of the Celtic world."

"Yes," she replied. "A bard is one of the most important people in all of the Celtic world they knew. But it is even older than that. A little known fact is that Ireland was settled by a race known as the Furblings. A mistranslation by those ignorant of the mother tongue, perhaps, but quite true. The Furlings would recognize you for that is what you are. They would honor you for the role you play for the SGC. You are the voice and soul of your people, therefore they exist."

"What?" he blinked, shocked. This was a novel concept, a warrior race who did not believe they existed without their scholars. He wondered what the people back at home would make of such a belief. It would be amusing to find out considering how they treated him sometimes.

But, he sighed, he was not a vindictive person-unless he had good reason for it. As much as he might like to wave it in the faces of those who'd snubbed his work over the years, he could not. It wasn't what he did.

"It is a complicated concept," she sighed. "You should see someone else about that for I cannot properly describe it. It is one of their stranger ideologies. Anyway, when the alliance shattered, they were deeply hurt by our desertion, as they saw it, and hid themselves away once they could do no more for the Asgard. The Furlings are a race who take their friendships and alliances very honestly. For they do not enter into such arrangements lightly, they consider all angles before making a decision. Nor do they let them go once they have committed, unless the others do."

Daniel didn't say anything more, though he privately thought that maybe they didn't hide away, so much as become something else. After all, some of the Ancients ascended. Why couldn't the Furlings have developed into some of the races of humans? Her mention about the Furblings seemed to point in that direction.

Turning the words over in his mind, he nodded as much of what she'd said rang true with him. It had confirmed what he knew of Jack, his 'nobody gets left behind' philosophy. The way he acted in the face of danger. The Furlings would not be an easy race to work with but the benefits would far outweigh the consequences.

It was something to mention to the general, though he had no idea how to find them.

Leading him into the tree roots, he noticed that there were a few scrolls already laid out for him. Sitting down, he leaned against one of the larger roots and looked to her for direction. It seemed that Avaria was confident in his own ability to figure things out, she had already left him alone.

With a shrug, he pulled out one of the thinner ones and began to read it. At a glance, he couldn't decipher any pattern that he knew from Earth based cultures. Removing his notebook, he started making some notations and comparing the writing to other examples he'd found across the galaxy. Once he found the cadence in the writing, he found that he had very little troubling reading the ones he'd been given.

Knowing what they meant was another thing entirely.

Oh, the words were pretty clear but the way they were used seemed to contradict what he knew they were supposed to mean.

"Is everything all right?"

Looking up, he saw Xo-shun standing slightly behind him and over to the right. "Not really, I can't seem to make heads or tails of what some of this means."

"Really?" he sounded puzzled. The boy joined him and started riffling through the assorted material, feeling his way through it. Sitting back on his heels when he was done, looking much like any other boy, he nodded in satisfaction as he figured out the reason. "Ah, Avaria forgot to give you the key."

"Key?" he repeated, puzzled.

"Yes," his response was swift. "Our older tongue was much more heavy with ritual and symbolism. Many of our scholars spent years working on a translation key that would help us read the works of the elder days."

"I did not forget," she announced. Her hand rested on the boy's shoulder, squeezing it lightly in reproof. "I was summoned away before I could explain to Dr. Jackson how our language key worked. As it needs explaining, I did not want to leave it out here to be lost in all of this mess."

A slight flush on his face as he glanced about and noticed that the piles had been scattered about by both his actions and Xo-shun's. He started to organized them but her hand touching his shoulder stopped him. "Is everything all right?" he asked, anxiously. There was something in her face that made him feel queasy inside and he wished she'd let him straighten up the mess he'd created.

"Everything is fine. I did not know that Ilis wished to speak with you. Had I but known that you had business to finish with her, I would not have asked Lya to send you to me," she answered. "You had best see what it is she wishes of you."

Rising with a longing sigh, he thanked her and started to walk out. "How do I find her?"

"I will take you," Xo-shun said glumly. "I am not allowed to stay because I brought you here instead of taking you back to see her."

"You will have time to read that Pottery Harvey and his Flaming Flagon story later," Avaria scolded, tapping his head affectionately.

"_Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_," he corrected with a drawn out sigh.

Daniel's eyebrow rose in surprise. "You have the _Harry Potter_ books here?"

"Yes, Colonel O'Neill brought them. He said that you would bring the fifth when you came again," he held out his hand in expectation.

"What?" He started, but then he remembered the strange package Jack had put in his bag on that fateful mission so long ago. When asked about it, he'd only gotten a secretive smile and an assurance that it wasn't a Minnie/Mickey for Lord Yu. "It's in my bag."

"Did you know that there is a sixth book coming out soon?" the boy asked.

Daniel nodded, dryly saying. "I had heard a little something about that."

"Will you get it for me?"

"Xo-shun, even if I did, there's no way I could get it to you," he replied.

"You could," he said. "O'Neill always did."

"O'Neill had the help of the Asgard," he reminded the boy.

The Nox thought about that for a moment, then triumphantly declared. "Thor would bring it by. He likes O'Neill and the Tua'ri."

"Don't you think that being the Supreme Commander of the Asgard takes up enough of his time without him becoming a delivery boy?" he asked, somewhat amused by this assured statement. "Especially since he has to deal with the replicator problem?"

"Dr. Jackson," he patiently explained. "Thor is a friend. He would be doing us a favor. Isn't that what friends do? Help each other out when they need it?"

Oh, now isn't that a tricky question? Daniel thought ruefully. How does one answer a query like that one without being contradictory? "Friends do favors because they want to, not because they have to. Getting Thor to deliver the book would be taking advantage of that friendship. I can ask him to, but I don't want to presume upon our friendship."

"Is that not what I asked you to do?" He asked, his voice so aggrieved that Daniel had to laugh at him. "Why do you find my words so amusing? Did I say something humorous?"

Ilis spoke then, sparing Daniel the necessity of a reply. He felt that this was a good thing, since he couldn't explain what he found so funny. Now there was a good question, how does one explain a human beings sense of humor?

656

Teal'c and Martouf walked after Lya, taking care to observe the landscape about them. If it came to an actual battle, they wanted to be as prepared as possible for it. Part of that was knowing the layout of the land both in the city and below them.

If at all possible, they wished to keep the battle out of the city. Teal'c and Martouf both knew that that would be problematic if enemy ships were in the sky. So far, they had not heard any, though they knew that the silence could mean anything.

"Lya, would it be possible for us to go down to the land and look around?"

"I am afraid it is too dangerous, Teal'c," she sadly informed him. "We have not been able to leave our city since the day they arrived. It has become a hard cross for us to bear. As much as we love our home, it has become a gilded cage to us."

"Yes," Martouf softly agreed. "We have often felt that way ourselves."

"And you, Master Teal'c? Have you felt the same way?" she asked.

"This is something I had never thought about before. My time under Apophis is a prison that I have only now started to truly feel free from. But that does not count for that is a prison of the mind, rather than of flesh," he slowly replied. "I must give the matter some thought before I can truthfully answer it. I could say that when I first arrived, the SGC was a prison after the freedom I had enjoyed on Abydos. But I had not been expecting to get any better treatment because they were bringing me in because of Apophis' invasion."

At this point, they walked out onto a strange platform and looked around them. The vastness of nature stretched before their wide eyes. It was so serene, so immense, that they could not imagine war desecrating this place.

Yet, war had thrust its unwelcome touch upon it.

It was up to them to make sure that it left this world and its inhabitants in peace. Looking out at the force Ba'al had brought in, Teal'c knew that they were in for a siege. How, he thought, were they to minimize the damage in this deadly situation?

"Well?" Martouf asked, his voice hushed. "What are we to do?"

"Until we see what Master Balinor and MajorCarter have accomplished, there is nothing for us to do. To try anything now would give away our presence," he informed them soberly. A casual observer would have noted the unemotional way he spoke. Only those who could see his eyes saw the pain he felt at have to wait before making a decisive move. They could see in them that he saw similar invasions-and knew the end result of them all.

They were written upon his soul. Forever there, never to be lost and forgotten. Teal'c would not allow himself to forget. "I believe that the element of surprise is the best weapon we have at this moment."

"What do we do until then?" Martouf asked.

"Investigate," he answered. "We must find out if Ba'al is there among his forces. If he is, we need to be able to guarantee that he is either killed or, if that cannot be achieved right now, stripped of any power."

"We do not seek his death," Lya commented. "We merely wish that he leave us to live our lives in peace."

Martouf and Teal'c refrained from pointing out that Ba'al was a Goa'uld. They do not let people rest in peace. It was not there way. "We will respect your wishes but this is a battle situation. It may come to pass that this System Lord will die," Martouf said.

"If he does, then it will be through no fault of your own."

656

"What exactly are we attempting to do?" she asked, looking around the lab curiously.

To her wondering eyes, it resembled a mad scientist's lab. The table tops held curious inventions, some she itched to handle. Beside them lay the most interesting tools. Filling the shelves were animals and plants she barely recognized. There were all these incredible gadgets and gizmos everywhere in the large place.

And she felt a pang of envy at the large workspace he had to play in.

But as she moved about the room, tripping over things, she realized the truth. For all the perceived space, there was very little room to work in. Her nose wrinkled distastefully as an odd smell filled it. Looking around, she saw what appeared to be dishes that once contained food and drink.

For all his look of personal cleanliness, his workspace left much to be desired.

"We are trying to take the basis of your weapon and apply it in such a way that we can fire it without having to leave the safety of the city." He explained, bringing her attention back to him. "That is how most of our weapons work. We do not enjoy shedding blood."

She shuddered slightly, relieved that he did not see it having turned away to retrieve something from his desk. Having been through many a battle, she knew the horror that it was. Death, blood, and pain on all sides. Friends and comrades falling to the left and right, terror surrounding them.

Yes, she despised battle and war. The idea of taking out the enemy from a far distance had some appeal. Not seeing the results, there was some benefit to it. But she hated how…cold-blooded and impersonal it sounded. Jolinar felt uncomfortable as well, thinking that it was similar to the way the Goa'uld fought.

"Do you do all this work alone?" She inquired, watching him move about the room with the ease of long experience. He seemed so at home, so comfortable, that it made her wonder how long he'd been doing this.

It was also a way of shying away from the subject of how they fought their battles.

"Often," his voice echoed oddly in her ears and she turned to see what he was doing. His head was currently stuck inside a large bowl. "Though I have had many help me, I have not found anyone suitable to take my place. Well, I still have over a thousand years before it becomes necessary for me to chose an apprentice."

"A thousand years?" she whispered, eyes wide. Even with Jolinar's experiences and her knowledge of the different races long life span, to hear it spoken of so casually never failed to leave her gasping in shock.

"Of course," he said. He passed her again and sat down at the bench, the weapon placed before them. "Shall we get started?"

Slowly, she walked over to where he was and sat down across from him. Unsure of what she should do, Sam watched him for a while. His long fingered hands moved swiftly over the machine, confident in their moves.

"Tell me, what exactly these Kull Warriors are?" he asked.

"Why?"

"So that I may determine the best level to set this weapon at. If it works at the molecular level, which is what I believe is how it works, then I need to be able to isolate their own life signature. The only way to do that is to know what they are," he said.

"Okay. From what we were able to gather from our study, they are empty shell symbiotes."

"Empty shell symbiotes?" he asked, arrested by the thought. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she nodded. "A year or so back, we went to a planet and met up with the people who invented tretonin. They had been using who they thought was a Goa'uld Queen to birth several symbiotes that they could experiment on, trying to perfect their immunity drug."

"Immunity drug?" he sighed. "The problem with trying to change your physiology is that sooner or later, another problem develops. One that is be much worse. I believe that you are dealing with a disease that attacks the human immune system, are you not?"

"Uhm, yes. Anyway, Jonas was with us and learned about this process. Teal'c and he found out that it wasn't a Goa'uld Queen they were using. That it was, in fact, someone Ra had imprisoned on their planet years ago. The Tok'Ra Queen Egeria."

"I remember hearing of her. Of course, I was quite young when Ra caught her. An upset for us, especially Ilis. They knew each other well."

"Did they?" she asked.

"I believe they were good friends. But we are not going to talk about that, we are going to discuss the Kull Warriors and their origins."

She cleared her mind of her interest in Ilis and Egeria with effort. "When they found out that she was not an enemy, they repented of their actions. But they did not want to release her, the drug had become to intertwined with their systems for them to live without it. We contacted the Tok'Ra and came up with a deal after one of them freed the queen. Sadly, it was too late for Egeria. She lived long enough to tell us how to correct the mutation she had created within the symbiotes."

"I see," he nodded. "How did Anubis attain this information?"

"A few months after Daniel came back, we received information from the Tok'Ra about a super weapon Anubis possessed. More powerful than the weapons he already had, this one had the ability to destroy an entire planet. Of course, we needed to destroy it."

"Of course," he dryly commented.

"Our plan was simple. Therefore, we should have expected things to go wrong," she said.

"Did they?"

"Yes. Daniel and Jonas infiltrated his ship and let us know where the vulnerable spot was, as planned. Teal'c and I flew the X-302 and did as instructed. Unfortunately, our back-up didn't come to our aid as promised and they were trapped when he fled."

"The Tok'Ra?"

"Lord Yu," she admitted.

Though he groaned, he made no comment and waved her to continue with her tale.

Slightly defensive, she defended their choice. "Yu had as many problems with him as we did, he became our reluctant ally."

"Why did he not come then?" he asked. "The Goa'uld are selfish and territorial, they are not used to giving up without a fight. Usually."

"Lord Yu appears to have lost his mind," she replied.

"More likely he has been poisoned, the symbiote is resistant to the sarcophagus' soul damaging actions. Unless," he trailed off, deep in thought.

"Unless?"

He looked up from his work bench and the gun he'd taken apart. "Unless someone altered the sarcophagus."

"But the only one who would have that kind of technical skills is Nirti," she objected. "And her neck was snapped before Lord Yu began to show signs of dementia."

"Unless the symbiote itself had died, Nirti is still be alive. Was she not one of those that sat on the meeting you had with the Asgard about being made a part of their alliance?"

She slowly nodded, "as did Lord Yu and Lord Chronus. We became aware of her stealth technology when we first met her. She tried to kill Chronus and frame Teal'c for it. He had been rather…unwise in his words when the two of them met."

"I would keep aware of Nirti then," he advised.

"We will," she vowed. The idea that the scientist was still alive, still out there, revived a few nightmares she thought she'd lain to rest.

End, Act 24.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

Balinor cleared his throat and looked at her expectantly. "Back to your story, Major. You can't just stop it there. You were just reaching the crucial conjunction where we learned how Anubis found out about Egeria and what was done to her. Not to mention the most vital part, the daring rescue. How did you retrieve your team members from Anubis' ship?"

"Well, without Lord Yu's help, we could not stop him. Jonas was captured when he and Daniel split up. The information was pulled from his mind with a mind probe. Intrigued as he was with the idea of naquariah, Anubis preferred the information given about Egeria. After all, it would give him an infallible servant, one who would not betray him. Although, he did take them to Kelowna, now known as Langaria. During all this, Teal'c was with Lord Yu. He took a chance and convinced Lord Yu's First Prime, Oshu, to help us out by calling in Ba'al."

"Deal with the devil," he muttered.

"And you'll get burned," she wryly finished. "I know. But what other choice had we? Our other allies were busy-or are unwilling to give us a hand. We were able to save Langaria and our team members. Actually, Daniel and Jonas saved us. Anubis got away. Armed with the knowledge of Egeria's ability to manipulate any symbiotes born of her, he still had quite an ace up his rather large sleeves. All Anubis had to do was find a queen who would be willing to birth the symbiotes-and not pass along any genetic information."

"All right," he sighed, shaking his head. "Let us see what we can do with what you know, what I know, what the Tok'Ra have contributed, and the foundation the Ancients provided."

656

"This will not work," Balinor announced after they had been working on the project for a few hours. He didn't sound too frustrated, though there was a note of…something in his voice that surprised her. It was almost like he was disappointed and discouraged.

Her head shook, agreeing with him. "No." There was no point in denying what their considerable testing had done. Their technologies were to incompatible to work together smoothly. "What if we take out the things we put in and use the technology of the Ancients and your own only? They are more compatible, aren't they?"

"I do not believe that would work, Major." He finally decided after giving the query some thought. "It is the very manipulations made to the technology using Earth based knowledge that has produced the results that went into creating this weapon. The Tok'Ra contribution is not as strong as your Tua'ri knowledge. Unless there is something you have not told me?"

Sam pondered the half-question for a moment before shaking her head. "I've told you everything I know. I didn't work on the project from start to finish unlike a few other scientists did and they worked with the Tok'Ra at the Alpha Site. Perhaps we should call them in on this."

"We do not have that kind of time to waste if they are unable to come up with the answers that you are not. As you are the leader of your own science department, you had to have looked over it at some point."

"Well, yeah, I did." She felt uncomfortable under that piercing look. "I am the supervisor of the science department, though Dr. Lee did most of the work. His doctorate made him more eligible for it. Of course, he is working in the lab down in Antarctica with another of our scientists, a Dr. Rodney McKay. Both of whom have a little more basis in it than I do."

His eyes pierced hers, seeming to read into her mind. "Are you sure that you translated the writings correctly?"

"Daniel did the preliminary translations," she began, feeling even more uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze.

"Major Carter, that is not what I asked. I asked if you were sure that the translation you did was correct."

"I'm an astrophysicist," she replied, feeling as though he was attacking her. But she could not say for sure why she felt that way. "My symbiote speaks only her native language, that of the Goa'uld."

"And?" he asked, turning off the machine. He got up and began to search the room for something, muttering the whole time.

Sam was not fooled by his distracted act. Balinor was listening for her answer.

With a sigh, she shook her head. "No, I am not sure that it was correct. I kept the pictures and sketches that Daniel did of the artifact when he retrieved it and of where he found it. In order to show you, I need to return to the SGC to get them. This turned out to be a good thing since the base where I was working on it with the Tok'Ra was attacked by the Kull Warriors."

"We need that information," he stated, searching around another desk for something. "Ah-ha!" Pressing a button, both heard a sweet sound pierce the air.

"I need to talk to Teal'c and let him know what's going on," she started to tell him, her training kicking in. Looking over the work they had done, she knew Balinor was right. They needed that information on the artifact. She also knew that she needed to check in with her commanding officer before leaving.

"We do not have the time for that. You must go. And go now," he gestured to a circular tube in one corner of the room. "I shall send you there immediately. If they come looking for you, I will make it clear that I took the decision out of your hands. Go on, get in."

"But I would need to visit the General to let him know that I was sent in by the Nox," she protested. "It would not be a good thing if he were to think that the Goa'uld had found a way into the base."

"Then I shall transport you directly into your General Hammond's office." He once more gestured for her to enter the tube. "The Asgard are not the only ones with teleportation technology. It is perfectly harmless, I assure you, Major Carter."

Feeling more than a little queasy about doing this anyway, she entered the tube and found herself in General Hammond's office within seconds. Luckily, he was alone, though she could hear the sounds of someone approaching.

"Major Carter? Something I can do for you?" he greeted her. Calmly, he thought, as though his people were always being beamed into his office without the usual light that signaled that it with the Asgard's aid that they had done so.

"Balinor, the Nox official wizard, sent me to get the information about the artifact we used to create the weapon against the Kull Warriors. I'd say more but he's only giving me ten minutes to grab it and get back here."

"Wait a minute," he dialed the phone. "Walter?"

"_Sir?_"

"Do me a favor and make sure that the path to Major Carter's office and lab is clear," he ordered.

Though there was confusion in the voice, he quickly began to process the request. "_Give me two minutes, sir._"

"Call me when it's done," he hung up the phone and looked at Sam, expectantly.

"I'll bottom line it for you, sir. We met Lya and she told us that Ba'al has taken control of the Kull Warriors. He's seeking the secret of invisibility. Teal'c is assessing the situation but has told us that it would be best to do what Balinor says," she paused, seeing the question on his face. "Sir?"

"Who is Balinor?"

"The official wizard," she shrugged, revealing her consternation at the use of the word. "I guess that's their way of saying lead scientist. To be truthful, he's their only scientist, since he works alone. Can you imagine? I saw some of what he's accomplished on his own and can't imagine creating and maintaining such things without help."

"Major Carter," he warned, pointing out that she was swerving off topic.

"Sorry, sir," she briskly resumed her explanation. "He examined it and decided that we need to start at the beginning in order to figure out how to combine all of the different technologies into one cohesive unit. After trying that, he realized that he needed to start from the artifact itself."

"The artifact that was destroyed," he stated.

"Yes, sir. Actually, he never said he wanted to see the artifact. He wants to see the translation of it. I mentioned that we might want to look at the sketches and pictures of the artifact. Hence, my being here," she was cut off by the phone.

"Yes?"

"_Everything is as you requested, sir. The whole sector has been closed off. Major Carter even has an escort, should she require one._"

"Why would I need one?" she asked when he mentioned it to her, concerned. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

Keeping his hand cupped over the mouthpiece, he answered her questions. "Dr. McKay returned and has been waiting anxiously for SG-1's return. Says they found something important down in Antarctica, a strange looking artifact. I'm not sure if he's waiting for you because he wishes to show you what he's found. Or if its because Dr. Jackson is with you and will translate it for him."

Biting her tongue to prevent herself from saying something nasty, she smiled tightly. It wasn't that she didn't like McKay. There were even times she found his company, well not enjoyable, but tolerable. They both techno-babbled with a rapidity that shocked and confounded her people. An intellectual equal, she rarely felt the need to 'go slow' with him when they spoke. He could grasp what she was saying with ease and rarely felt the need to hold back his opinion if he thought her wrong.

Nevertheless, he looked down on her because she was a woman and blonde. He found her military status an impediment to true kinship. And he had a tendency to get so caught up in his own sense of self-importance and his work, that he rarely listened to any one else.

She found it irritating. It was a reminder of how her alternate self had been. How she could be if she forgot those who supported and helped her out. Like most people, she hated to see an unflattering light shine upon her. "I would love to have an escort."

"Walter, how soon can you have an officer up here?"

"_Sgt. Siler should be there right now, sir._"

"Very good. Inform SG-6 that their briefing has been moved back a half hour."

"_And Major Davis?_"

George's eyes closed for a moment before he nodded. "No. It would be best to see him when he comes. This meeting is rather important."

"_All right, sir._"

"Thank you, Walter," George hung up the phone. "You know, you can't avoid him forever."

"I don't want to," she said. "I would just like to get this situation with the Nox settled first. Then I will tackle the Ancient stuff with McKay."

"Major Carter," Sgt. Siler greeted as he walked in and saluted them both. "Sir."

"At ease, Siler," the general waved them both off. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Yes, sir." They made their way quickly down to the nearly deserted hall, Siler pausing every once in a while to talk into a radio. The unnatural stillness grated a bit on Sam's nerves but she quickly learned to ignore it, knowing that her mission was to important to be distracted from, though she couldn't help but wonder why McKay was here.

Ancient technology was his and Kavanaugh's field, not hers. They had even created another department to handle it, one that she was not directly involved with. One that he personally oversaw. So, why was he here?

"Major, Dr. McKay is waiting outside your lab. Is there another way in?" He asked, glancing back at her.

"Not one that's close by, as you very well know," she replied with a smile.

Though he returned it, his expression remained serious. "What do you want me to do?"

"Get rid of him," she answered, half regretfully. "Without harming him. Annoying though he is, he is one of the most astute minds we have. We need him, if only for that."

Nodding, Siler moved off down the hall and stood in front of the doctor. "Dr. McKay, were you not aware that this section is being closed off?"

"For a leak in a gas pipe," he dryly said. "I saw that movie. If it didn't work on those dimwitted soldiers, why do you think it would work on me? No, the only reason this section is closed is that Major Carter has returned early. I need to see her."

"I'm sorry, Dr. McKay," he firmly said, guiding him away. "But, even if that were true, orders were given."

"I am not military," he retorted, futilely trying to break free from his grip. "Get your hands off me, you overbearing clod."

"You may not be military but you signed the agreement to follow our rules. That includes obeying even the most inconsiderate of orders," he smoothly lead him away.

Sam darted into her office, startled to see Jonas there.

His hands instantly went up in surrender before she could speak. "I've been hiding in here from Rodney. He's very…intense about his work."

"He is at that," she sighed, relieved. He wasn't here to bother her with work. "Help me find that stuff on the Fountain of Youth artifact. Who decided to call it that anyway?"

"Dr. Lee," he replied, helping her search through the file cabinets. "He thought it would help everyone remember what it was about."

"I suppose that makes sense. That is the reason we sought it," she muttered. Quickly flipping through the work, she felt uneasy about something. Glancing up at the clock, she noticed that she was down to a minute and a half.

"Found it!" Jonas triumphantly held the folders aloft.

"Thanks, I owe you." She grabbed it and ran off, taking care to avoid the path that Siler had taken McKay in. With seconds to spare, she skidded into the general's office and tossed off a quick salute to them both. "Nice to see you, Major Davis. Thanks. See you later, General Hammond."

"Hello to you too…Major?" his voice trailed off uncertainly. His hand dropped and he blinked. Turning towards the general, he gestured to the empty space the major had just been. "Uhm, don't the Asgard have some kind of light show accompanying their teleportation devices?"

"They do," he replied with a shrug. "Major Carter was taken by the Nox. Now, what does the president have to say about the proposal?"

"As much as he would love to send the conspiracy theorists away, he figures that it would cause more trouble. They do have families and jobs, people who would notice if they suddenly went missing. He did get a good laugh out of the idea, though he did say that it wasn't like you to think like that. He made some comment about you being a better man than that," he paused and looked at him expectantly.

When General Hammond neither confirmed nor denied his words, he went on. "And, while he loves the idea, he doesn't think that Vice President Kinsey would voluntarily go on a trip through the gate. I believe that the Vice-President doesn't quite trust you."

"I knew it was a long shot," he sighed. "Still, it was worth a shot."

"Sir, if I may ask you," Paul began.

"Does this have anything to do with Colonel O'Neill?" George finished for him. "In a way, I guess that it does. Call it a favor for him that he's no longer here to enjoy."

"What do you mean?" he asked, intrigued.

"Now, that's something that I can't tell you."

Back in Balinor's lab, she handed him the packet. Furiously he began to flip through the pages and start to read over the markings. Grabbing a quill and scroll, he started to furiously write what he read.

Glancing up once, he barked out one thing. "Get me Dr. Jackson. I need him to read over this. It has been a long time since I have read Ancient."

Daniel entered the lab at a run and looked at Sam, trying to figure out what exactly he was supposed to do. It didn't look like there was any kind of emergency or anything that he would know how to do here. "What?" he started.

"Translations," she succinctly told him.

"For what?" he asked, startled.

"The artifact you and Dr. Lee brought back. Ask Balinor to explain it to you. I'm still confused about what exactly he thought he'd find in our weapon that he didn't before." She pointed to where the Nox scientist was frantically working on seven or eight things at once without a pause. "And I thought we knew how to multi-task." It was said with a slightly envious look at him.

"Okay." He slowly said, for want of anything else to say. He walked over to the Nox, trying to figure out what to say to him when he still felt confused as to what he was supposed to be doing there. "Whoa!" he jumped back when he nearly slammed into him.

"Sorry," Balinor muttered automatically, glancing up. Recognizing Daniel there, he pulled up a sheaf of papers and shoved them at him. "Read. Translate. Work on it, so that I can do my work. Major Carter. Come here. Work!" He barked out his orders, waving at them to get started on their various tasks.

Daniel accepted the papers and read over the translation the scientist had started. With a slight shake of his head, he made some vital corrections to them. After a thorough study to make sure he had it right, he had a feeling that he wouldn't be getting a second chance if this was wrong.

"Everything all right?" He tentatively asked them after a moment, handing the corrected papers back to Balinor.

"It will be. Yes, it will now that I know that I was correct in what I originally thought about your weapon. The original weapon does not, in actuality, kill the Kull Warriors. It merely stuns them for a time, similar to what a zat'nik'atel does. The right part was extracted for use from the device. But the frequency is all wrong," he bustled off.

"Stuns? Like a zat does?"

Balinor paused, staring at him. "Isn't that what I said? Though I am afraid that explanation is an elementary way of putting things, but that was the only way I could think of to help you understand. The good thing about the weapon is that the frequency was high enough that the results of the shot last longer, so no harm is done."

"No harm?" Sam repeated dumbly. "Balinor, we use that gun as our main defense against these warriors. Now, you say that it does not kill our enemies, merely stuns them?"

"Do you remain on the planet once you have secured a path to safety?"

"Not usually," she replied. "Staying on a planet that the soldiers have been on is rarely a good idea. They have a tendency to send in others if they don't hear from them."

"Then I will stand by my earlier assertion, Major. There is no harm done," he replied in satisfaction. "And now that you have an accurate translation, you can fix the error."

"Right," she dryly said.

Daniel stood off to the side, unsure of what he was supposed to do now that he had finished the translation. Things that were Sam's forte rarely interested him, though he certainly supported her. Nor was he particularly interested in this weapon's progression, necessary and helpful though it was.

But her anger at her own human weakness was palpable. He couldn't just stand there, letting her beat herself up over what amounted to a simple error. It wasn't in his nature to leave someone in pain, even if he wasn't always sure of the cause for it.

"Sam," he hesitated, even after she had turned to face him. "It was a mistake anyone could've made."

"It was more than a mistake, Daniel. It was a slip-up that could have gotten our people killed." She harshly declared, not giving herself an inch of leniency. "I made the call to use an inaccurate translation. I approved it for general use by us all based on what was produced by the team I chose to work on it. If we had used them in Antarctica, we would be in deep trouble because the warriors would be alive."

"We didn't," he reminded her. He wondered if she knew that when she was upset, Jolinar did the talking for her. Knowing Sam as he did, she probably realized it and was relieved by it. But he wondered if she knew how disconcerting it was to those she was talking to. "Jack didn't pack them."

"No," she spat out. "He didn't. Which means that he knew that I had made a bad judgment call. Why didn't he tell me?"

"I doubt he really knew, Sam. He probably didn't even know what they were for by the time it came to pack up and leave." Daniel spoke hesitantly because he couldn't get the words to pass his thick tongue. Lying to friends usually caused him discomfort, but was he really lying to her?

There was no way of truly knowing what Jack had or hadn't known when all of the knowledge had become fully active in his mind. Therefore, no lie in what he said. Still, he couldn't help but feel as though he was misleading her in some way.

"Come on, Daniel, he had the knowledge of the _Ancients_ in his head. The Ancients who created the device we used to create the weapon. Of course he knew," she bitterly said.

"Actually, the knowledge in his mind would not be complete. The repository was built to hold only a part of their wisdom." Balinor commented as he walked back into the room. Grabbing something off the shelf above him, he began to tighten the weapon in his hands.

"Oh," she said. They exchanged startled looks, not having noticed that he had left them alone. His movements had been getting downright dizzying, they had automatically separated him from them so that they could function. A thought occurred to her and she looked accusingly at Daniel. "You already knew this about the incomplete repository."

"I suspected it," he corrected her carefully. "Knowledge, like power, can corrupt. Having the full knowledge of the Ancients in cognizance is a deadly thing for anyone. I doubt they would take the risk of its corruptible influence-especially knowing that the Ascended ones are the Ancients and that they do not interfere now that they have _become_ more. I will admit that they did bend it slightly when they allowed Shifu to give me the knowledge of the Goa'uld for use, though I do not quite understand why they would do so. Was it just to teach me about the dangers of having absolute power? Somehow, I don't think it could be that clear."

Yet, it still haunted him. What he learned that day, stayed with him. But the fact that it had happened at all bothered him. With their attitude towards interference, why had they allowed it?

Balinor shooed him out. "You've done your job, now it is time for us to do ours," he snapped at them.

Sam jumped up, startled and a little upset. She had been working on what he allowed her to, not that she understood any of it. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"No more sitting about, merely helping me. Now, I want you to work with me, to learn from me, Major." He said, pulling out a sketch board and diagramming a few things.

Though uncertain, she leaned over his shoulder and watched him. After a moment, she cleared her throat. "I think that is wrong."

"You think?" he asked. "Why do you only think that it is wrong? Do you not know?"

"Fine," she snapped. "What you are doing is wrong because of gravitational laws."

Daniel left them in a discussion of the principles of gravity. As he walked around the city, he met up with Martouf, Teal'c, and Lya out in the hall in front of the library. So deep in thought was he that he almost passed them by. Only Martouf's question stopped him.

"What is wrong?"

He shrugged, not knowing how to answer him. "Not much, at least for me. Sam is getting the runaround."

"What did Ilis speak to you about?"

"Oh, a few things. Some of it was stuff that she said should stay between us. But it was mostly about the technology of the Ancients." He answered Teal'c's question, giving it some thought. "Ilis warned me about relying on it. She warned us all. I got the feeling there's something about it she isn't telling me. Something that she feels that I should already know, that I've already learned this lesson."

"What did she say?"

"That we shouldn't use it if we can avoid it. At least, not in its pure form," he answered, while pondering her words to him. There was more than a slight warning to them-both the words she had spoken and the tone in her voice. Could she be referring to Shifu's lesson to him that he was to teach to them all?

"Pure form?" Martouf asked, puzzled. "What does that mean?"

"I have no idea," he replied, feeling his way through his answer. "If I had to take a guess, I think it means that we can't just pick it up and use it as it is. It is what killed Jack. The burden of it was to heavy for him to bear."

Teal'c and Martouf stared at him. For the first time he could ever recall, he could see the blank stupefaction on their faces. If not for the seriousness of the situation, he would've laughed about it. It reminded him of the look Jack's face would always get when he slipped into his professor mode in their briefings. Or whenever he had the opportunity to indulge in his passion. Any of them.

"It might not make much sense but it's the only thing I can think of right now. With the other technologies we've come across, we can question people about it. We can find parallels for them in our own world. But the Ancients have left behind no "how to manual", no reference guides. And without Jack," he paused for a moment, swallowing. "Or someone else with that gene who is comfortable using it, we have no one to show us the pitfalls. The dangers to us if we use that technology."

"We've got it!" Balinor came down the hall, waving at them as he rushed by them. Turning the corner, they soon lost the sound of his footsteps.

"Teal'c, what's the plan?" Sam asked. She looked tired but exhilarated.

Daniel guessed that Balinor and she had bonded over their work. For a while, he had been worried that the both of them would not get along. That Balinor's rather brusque people skills would be detrimental to a working partnership. Balinor cut her no slack, he did not give praise lightly. But it was clear that he approved of what she had accomplished with their primitive technologies.

The Jaffa outlined his plan for them. With his usual deliberation, he had crafted a nearly flawless one. "There is one thing that I must ask, do the Nox need our help still?" he asked, turning to Lya. "They now possess the modified weapon, our presence now may be only extraneous."

"It is a wise question to ask, Master Teal'c," Ilis said as she walked up to them. "We shall see what is to be after Balinor gives the weapon a test."

"So, that's it?" Sam asked, feeling somewhat let down. "We just leave if it works?"

"It is not up to us to fight every battle, Major Carter," he gently reminded her.

She sighed. "I know. It just seems so…anti-climatic." Moving to an observation area, they waited. Though there was a slight sound, nothing seemed to happen. "Lya?" she asked.

"They are gone," she nodded in satisfaction.

"But how?" Sam asked, looking out at the country below them. "Nothing happened."

"Not to our eyes," she agreed serenely. "But on another level, the level the weapon was designed to attack, the Kull Warriors have been destroyed."

"It is well done," Teal'c said, bowing to them. "This victory for your world should be yours and no matter how well I planned, I would not be able to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

"Please, stay with us to celebrate our victory." Lya invited them, waving towards the palladium on one of the mountains. "It would delight us to have our friends stay with us."

"We would be honored to do so," Teal'c agreed.

656

Carter stepped out of the gate and nearly turned right around. Rodney McKay stood at the bottom of the ramp, waiting for them, an impatient look on his face.

"So good of you all to return before I have to go back to Antarctica," he greeted them snidely. "Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, would you both come with me?"

"Dr. McKay, I told you that I would send them to you once they have finished both their medical check-outs and their debriefing." General Hammond sternly reminded him, staring at the man, with an annoyed look on his face. "I do not appreciate your actions to prevent my people from fulfilling their duties."

"This would fall under the category of their duties."

"Not until after they have reported their latest efforts," he replied.

"Sir," she saluted, interrupting McKay's reply.

"It is good to see you, General Hammond. We come bearing a gift for you from the Nox to thank you for your aid," Teal'c said. Behind him, Daniel stood with a basket with something in it, though Lya had been reluctant to tell them more.

Handing it over, Daniel smiled. "Lya assures us that it is a benign gift."

Accepting it, General Hammond acknowledged his words with a smile. "I don't doubt it for they are not a malicious people. This gift is unnecessary under any circumstances. From what I understand, we only helped them a little by giving them a nudge in the right direction and offering our assistance in whatever capacity they needed it."

"She said that you would say that," Daniel said, shrugging. "Lya felt that it was the proper thing to do."

"Very well," he said, passing the basket to Siler. "See that this is taken care of, will you, sergeant?

"Yes, sir."

"We'll de-brief in two hours. You're dismissed to get your check-ups. Dr. McKay, your plane does not leave for another day, you can wait that long."

"Fine," he stormed out of the room, clearly upset.

"Thank you, sir."

"It was not a problem, Major. But I can't continue to help you evade him. Sooner or later, you will need to address his problem. For all I know, it could be quite serious," he said as they walked out the door.

She nodded, sighing. "Most likely, sir. Dr. McKay is well versed in his field and rarely makes rash choices. At least, when it comes to his craft. His personal judgments about people, on the other hand, could use some work."

After the debriefing, Sam went to see Dr. McKay. "You needed to see me for something?"

"Actually, I needed to see both you and Dr. Jackson," he corrected. "Before we can do any work on this, it needs to be translated. Unfortunately, no one here seems to recognize the language, though someone thought that an artifact was brought in a few years ago with this writing on it."

Taking it from him, she turned it over and studied it. A smile broke out on her face and she smothered a chuckle as she recalled seeing something like this. An experience that didn't seem all that long ago in fact. It was a memory that brought a smile to her eyes.

"What?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously and he stared at her. This laugh, while not malicious, was suspicious under the circumstances. He wondered suddenly if she was making fun of him.

"This is Borgas. A language that Daniel used on a tablet that he wanted both Martouf and I to take a look at. It was one of the things that go us to talk to each other more easily than we had been before. We used to drive the Colonel nuts with our actions." There was no hesitation in her rather revealing reply, for all that they were not friends. And she let herself enjoy another chuckle. "It was all Daniel's idea, though the colonel had quite a bit of influence in it."

For the first time in two months, she could laugh about the colonel.

"What's so funny?" Daniel asked, entering the room. His hair was still damp from his shower but he looked more relaxed than he had on the mission. Inside, he felt a little bit better about things, his perspective about life had been altered.

Helplessly swallowed up by laughter, she could only hand over the item. Almost she wished that Teal'c and Martouf had been asked to be here as well. They would love this, though she did enjoy sharing it with Daniel alone.

Besides, he was the one who had started the whole thing.

Daniel took it hesitantly, in case the purpose behind it was hysteria. An enemy blinded by their own emotions can't fight. When nothing happened, he decided that there would be no harm in further examination. Turning it over in his hands, he couldn't determine what was so funny-until he saw the language.

A shout of laughter escaped him. "Oh, now that's funny. That's really funny." Taking a closer look, he really let loose with his laughter. "Sam, do you know what this is?" He asked, turning it over and over in his hands, absolutely astonished by it.

"An artifact found in Antarctica?" she replied, trying to regain control.

His head shook, his mirth stilling for a moment. "Nope. I recognize my own work."

She stopped laughing, staring at him in absolute bafflement. The meaning behind his words sunk in and she gaped at him, jaw slack in disbelief. "You're kidding me."

"Nope," he repeated. For a moment, they stared at it in awed silence. Then at each other before letting go and howling with laughter at a joke only they knew. "Only Jack would do something so…so…" he trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Ridiculous?" she asked, wiping away tears from her eyes. "Insane? Absolutely in character to remind us that he's still here? Still watching out for his kids?"

"So Jack," he finished.

"I'm so glad you find this item to be of such hilarity," Dr. McKay stiffly said. He had quickly grasped the significance of their words and knew it meant only one thing. He was going to be in trouble for leaving his position to follow a false trail. "If I'd known that I was wasting my time over a falsified object, I wouldn't have worried so much over it."

Wiping away tears, Sam chocked back a bit of laughter. "I'm sorry, Rodney. Really."

"Just go away, I need to find _something_ here to justify my leaving Antarctica." He stiffly said, waving them out the door.

"I have just the thing," she consoled him. "It has to do with the weapon we created to kill the Kull Warriors."

"What of it?" he asked, sounding uninterested. It wasn't that he didn't care, he did. But he had already done the work on it and moved on. He found that his real passion in exploring the technology of the Ancients. Not changing them around, but to use them as they were.

"Balinor of the Nox says that it only stuns, it does not kill the warriors. We need to fix it," she told him, not fooled by his tone of voice. "We have more accurate translations for what the artifact originally did."

"Who's Balinor?"

"Head scientist of the Nox," she told him. "Come along, I'll show you what he showed me about it."

Rubbing his hands together, Rodney followed her out the door and down to the lab. It wasn't Ancients technology, but it was another race's mingling with their own. Quite interesting in its own right.

Daniel watched them go, still chuckling. The absurdity in the timing of the find was just so…semi-clichéd. It didn't seem quite like Jack, yet he knew it was. Somehow, even in the depths of his own misery, Jack had found a way to shine a light on them and make them laugh even when it felt like they were in the darkest of days. Tossing the tablet up in the air, he easily caught it before walking out the door.

He had wondered what had happened to it after they had left Jacob's shuttle.

656

Heimdahl looked curiously at the flashing blue light on the console. Moving it to the side, a window opened and he looked at Ilis. "Is everything all right, Lady Ilis?"

"Once more, everything is as it should be with us. Ba'al's forces have been decimated and he has taken flight, hopefully never to return to our fair world. If he does, we shall be ready for him," she said. "How are things with you?"

"Things continue to be problematic for us. We have found no solution to the problem with the Replicators."

"That is most unfortunate," she replied sympathetically. "How goes Thor's project?"

His head shook. "That does not go well, lady."

Ilis nodded gravelly. "Yes, I suspected as much. Have you told him of our offer?"

"I have."

"And?" she pressed.

"Thor will not even consider it."

"It is what I thought he would do. Still, we had to offer," she shrugged gracefully.

"We are grateful," Heimdahl told her. "Yet, it is best this way." The doors swished open and both pairs of eyes looked to see who entered the room.

"Loki." Ilis greeted, noting the suspicious way Heimdahl looked at the other Asgard. Nor did it escape her attention that Loki looked around before entering the room. She wondered what was going on between the two of them.

He nodded at her before addressing Heimdahl. "I would like to see O'Neill."

The dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Have you asked Thor if it is all right?"

Loki bristled. "I do not need his consent to help the man who has aided us."

"If you plan on conducting your unsanctioned experiments, you would be rejected firmly. I do not want you anywhere near O'Neill. He has done much for us. I do not wish to repay him by letting you play with his genetic coding." Thor spoke from the open doorway, his voice full of his displeasure. "Lady Ilis."

"Supreme Commander Thor," she returned the greeting.

"What brings you here?"

"I wish to tell you news of SG-1," she said. "And to say that a way has been found to defeat the Kull Warriors that Anubis created. Balinor is of the opinion that you might be able to modify the technology to serve in your own battles."

"What of SG-1?" Heimdahl asked. "Are they not all right?"

"They are still grieving," Ilis softly said. "I fear that I have caused Dr. Jackson much pain by reminding him of O'Neill. He does not seem…whole any longer. I tried to help him realize the truth. That while O'Neill may be physically gone, he is always with him. It only seemed to weigh him down, to bring him pain."

"It is a hard thing for him to bear," Thor agreed. "It was the same way when Daniel ascended. O'Neill knew he was there, but he was not comforted by the knowledge. I do not know how to help him."

"You may not know how to help Dr. Jackson, but you should attend to O'Neill."

"Loki, what do you mean?" He started to ask when a strange energy entered the room. It centered around O'Neill, covering him in a thickness of mixed light and darkness, before a familiar form stood beside the figure on the bed. "Antiam."

"Not quite," she said, coughing a bit. "But don't let that worry you. I know it won't bother me any. What's wrong with Daniel?"

End, Act 24.

Author's Note: the stuff about bards is part truth and partly a combination of the druids, vates and bards of Celtic times. I based some of what I said about them in the last chapter on "The Pendragon Cycle" by Stephen R. Lawhead. Specifically, the fourth one published, though it kind of weaves its way through the events of the second, third, and fifth ones really. The stories deal with the Arthurian Legends in a new light, more akin to Celtic tradition-though there is a some Christianity in it-and it is interesting saga. It is one of the few stories I've read where Gwenevere is not a cheating spouse and Lancelot doesn't exist by that name, though he is there.

Another source I used was "The Sacred World of the CELTS" by Nigel Pennick. He speaks in one section about the bardic tradition that there were three groups of men who were held in exceptional honor, the Bards, the Druids, and the Vates. Bards were musicians, poets and singers. The Vates were soothsayers, diviners, and natural philosophers. They were also the only ones who had no formal training, just the ability. The Druids were the lawgivers and priests. The highest of those honored were the Bards. One of the quotes he uses to describe bards, I thought fit Daniel perfectly.

"_The three principle endeavors of a Bard:  
One is to learn and collect sciences.  
The second is to teach.  
And the third is to make peace  
and to put to an end all injury;  
for to do contrary to these things  
is not usual or becoming to a Bard._"  
The Triads of Britain.

In relation to the weapon built and all that stuff about merely stunning rather than killing the Kull Warriors like the zat guns do. Well, I thought they came up with this ultimate weapon to easily. I mean, here's this big, bad, Ancient-Ascended-Goa'uld whose got all this knowledge and stuff and his brand new spanking warrior gets defeated by a weapon that's never been tested. Like or dislike the X-301, 302, and 303, at least they had problems in their testing and creation.


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

"Nothing is wrong with Doctor Jackson, health wise. It is just that he misses his _anmchara_ very much. It is cankering his soul," Ilis answered gently when none of the other Asgard even tried. Besides, she knew that the answer should come from her. She had brought it up knowing full well how Emrys would react to the possibility of Daniel being hurt.

The dark eyes closed momentarily as she nodded. "Yes. I did not anticipate what happened once we arrived at Antarctica. I had hoped that Janet would spare Daniel the pain of having to end my life. I should have known better. Not that she couldn't do it. I know full well that she could. But she wouldn't end my life, she takes her Hippocratic Oath seriously."

"What are you going to do?" Thor asked.

"I am going to see him, talk to him. Hopefully, I can get through to him. How many days has he been in mourning?"

"Today will be the sixty-fourth day," Heimdahl said. "Why do you ask?"

"Sixty-four?" she mused. "Daniel once told me that his parents taught him to mourn the dead for one-hundred days. Perhaps I should allow him this time and not see him. For in seeing me, wounds that should be partially healed will only reopen and bleed freely."

"Antiam, he knows that O'Neill is dead. But he believes and holds out the hope that you will return to him."

"Will I not, Thor?"

"You know best what is going on inside O'Neill," Thor reminded her. "Do you think it right to have him hold on to the hope of something that may not happen in his lifetime?"

She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "You are correct as usual, buddy. While he may make a pretense of mourning, Daniel will not allow himself to truly grieve if I am still walking about. Yet, it grieves me to cause him more pain in an attempt to get him to heal."

"Sometimes pain is the only path to healing," Ilis said.

Antiam glared at her, dropping her hand and shaking her head. "Sure it does. And my best friend has so much experience in pain, we should give him more. I'm sure he'd appreciate the thought," she drawled.

Ilis was silent, letting her look say it all. When Antiam's head finally dropped, she spoke, her words low and clear. "Do not be rude to me for I will not tolerate it. The words you spoke were not called for. I bear Doctor Jackson no ill will and wish, as do many of us, to spare him further pain. This you know full well. Do not be so childish."

"I apologize for my rash words, my Lady."

"I will forgive you for they were spoken in pain and frustration," she said. "What will you do now, my child?"

"Fly to one of the planets and gate to the Land of Light. From there, I will call the SGC," she shrugged.

"Is that wise?" Thor asked.

"It's the best idea I could come with," she said.

"Why not come with me? We will call the SGC for you," Ilis offered.

Thinking it over, she finally shook her head. "I would prefer to have my shuttle craft within my reach. Never can tell if I may actually need to go."

"Very well," she said. "But let us guide you to safety. I do not believe that you are strong enough to do this solo."

"All right," she gratefully accepted. In truth, this tiny act of summoning was draining strength from the both of them. It would be easier once she was on solid ground. Until then, she would have to rely on the strength of others.

656

"Report," Ba'al said, leaning back in his chair.

"The Warriors have been defeated, my lord. It appears that the Nox have gained a potent weapon since our last visit," the First Prime said, facing him. "This creature with the power to become invisible is still out of our reach."

"So it would seem. Is the weapon from the Tua'ri?" he idly asked. The System Lords feared this new weapon, this new power that the Tua'ri seemed to possess now. Whether or not it was still active did not matter to them. It had been strong enough to defeat Anubis and his greater technology.

That was all they needed to know.

What Ba'al himself wanted to know was if he could get his hands on it. Possessing both this new technology of the Tua'ri and Anubis' weapons would increase his position and make him even more powerful than he was now.

"It appears to be to advanced for them, my lord. Even when one considers the weapon they acquired to defeat Lord Anubis." There was a sound on the console and he turned towards it at a command from his god. "My lord, a small Asgard vessel approaches the planet. There appears to be only one life form inside the craft."

"Intercept it," he commanded.

"My lord?" he questioned, even as he moved to obey.

Ba'al did not reply to the query. He was their god and did not need to explain himself to them. They were supposed to serve him, not the other way around. Besides, this vessel interested him. The Asgard did not have smaller crafts like this. It was also common knowledge that they did not travel alone ever since Anubis had shown his superior shielding.

It was something that had revealed to Ba'al that the Asgard were perhaps not as powerful as they all thought.

Within the tiny craft, an alarm went off. Jerking awake, the pilot glanced at it and read it slowly, still not quite sure of her bearings. When the meaning of it became clear, she closed her in frustration. This could only be the beginning of bad things. "Balinor?" she asked, taking into the intercom.

"_Yes_?"

"I think I'm being tailed. Can you tell me who it is?" she asked, though she had a bad feeling she knew exactly who it was.

"_It is Ba'al_." The flat voice said. "_I think you need to come in. We cannot protect you out in deep space_."

"I know, I know," she muttered, fingers flying over the keyboard. "Guess the reunion's going to have to wait."

"_I am sorry_."

"Hey, it isn't your fault. Its that jerk who plays at being a god," she said, more than a little note of bitterness in it. There was an underscoring passion of rage in it. "All right, I'm coming in fast and hot. Hope your ready down there."

"_Do not worry over us. Just come in safely_," he counseled.

"Got it," she mock saluted and began her descent. It took a great deal of concentration to keep her fear and memories at bay. A slight shiver was the only sign that she knew what would happen to her if Ba'al got his hands on her. Again.

6

President Hayes stood beside a scowling Vice President Kinsey and looked around the gate room, interestedly. He ignored the man's repeated attempts to talk to him. If not for the reason behind the ceremony, he would've left the Vice President back at the White House.

Well he knew of the man's complete disdain for all of those in the SGC and for what it stood for. He just wished that he could understand it, they did their jobs, nothing more. It wasn't as if they set out to humiliate him deliberately.

The last time he'd been here, it had not been a joyous occasion. Far from it. And with the death of Colonel O'Neill almost three months ago, the SGC had entered a new era of exploration. An almost undisguised feeling of war was in the air.

The Stargate itself stood as a prominent figure of warning and consecration of those who had died, both civilian and military.

Glancing up at it, he took the opportunity to study the Stargate and the environs that surrounded it. On the surface, it was much like any facility. Soldiers did their jobs while the hum in the background revealed the use of computers. Over their heads electric lights illuminated the room.

But the large ring that stood in prominence, gave the place a different import. A different, more solemn feel entered the room. He idly noticed that every precaution had been taken to secure the gate and to safe guard the people who worked around it. There were even some personnel still in the Control Room.

The iris glistened in the heavy lights and he wondered for a moment why it was there. From footage of other occasions such as this one, Hayes knew that the gate hadn't been so protected. That it had, in fact, stood proud and open for the entire world to see. Now, it was closed and he worried about it for a moment.

But he trusted General Hammond and knew that if it was closed, then George had a good reason for it.

Hearing the sound of a throat clearing, he turned to see George at the podium. From the look on the general's face, the president knew that he had been speaking for only a few minutes and felt a sense of relief.

After all, it wouldn't do for the president to be caught woolgathering at a ceremony he, himself, had requested.

Glancing up again, he noticed the curiously blank expression that Kinsey now sported. He was glad to see that he had wiped the other one away. It had hardly been inappropriate considering what they were here to do.

"And now, without further ado, President Hayes."

Amidst applause, he walked up to the podium and took the general's place. "I won't bore you with long and pointless speeches, I promise. Though I can't say that I'll be able to keep it like Colonel O'Neill."

There were a few strained smiles, until a chuckle came from SG-1. Only then did they let themselves laugh at the reminder of his infamous speech. One even heard someone comment that they didn't know, Hayes did have the same manner about him that the colonel had, he might find himself meeting the Asgard yet.

"That would be a pleasure," he called out. "From what I've heard about them, I'm sure I'd like them more than some of the people I've got to face day in and day out."

The room calmed down after a bit and he became serious as he talked about the work they did. How the governments of the world could never repay them for what they had done, though he wished that he could. For what they continued to do for them, asking for no rewards for the work they did and expecting no recognition for it. Even though, by rights, they should for what they did saved them all countless times. They acknowledged the sacrifice for them and they appreciated what they did for them.

"Now, this is something that should have been done under my predecessor but he never was able to figure out how to do it considering all the politics behind it. Usually when the military works with civilians and the civilians make a serious contribution, rewards are left up to the civilian contingent of the government. In some cases, this works because their works are well known. They are honored in the public eye and are given many great opportunities to put that work into practice." He paused to let the implications of his words sink in.

"But as the nature of the Stargate Program requires a great deal of secrecy, so the works of the non-military personnel goes unacknowledged by those in power. After much discussion among those on my staff and more than a few arguments as well, I have decided that these civilians fall under a new heading. A new place of recognition for they combine both the human aspect and the military aspect of the work you do here. One that I can directly reward for all they do for the program. They deserve to be recognized for all of their hard work and dedication. It isn't right that they be ignored, though they bear half the burden of this labor on their shoulders."

Again, he paused and some people smiled, knowing what was coming.

"And no one deserves it more than a man well known to you all. A man I have heard much praise about and some less than flattering things as well. This man is one that I have come to admire not only for his ceaseless courage, but also for his deep convictions, for his endless compassion towards all he meets. For the depth of his friendship and his willingness to help those who have come to him in need he has given his all for them, asking for nothing in return. A man who has sacrificed his life-several times over-and his reputation from the very beginning because he couldn't lie about what he knew to be truth. May I present to you all a man you know well and are indebted to, Dr. Daniel Jackson."

Daniel stood there, stunned. His arms instantly wrapped about himself in an effort to disappear. Or to keep himself centered as he gasped in shock as the room exploded in loud applause. It was almost instinctive, this withdrawal into himself. Professionally, he could handle this kind of limelight being shown upon him. This felt like a different arena for his family surrounded him and he felt himself shying away from the limelight of recognition.

After all, it wasn't as if he was alone in this.

As he struggled to come to terms with this turn of events, Sam gently pushed him forward and he stumbled, trying to retain his balance. Seeing Teal'c's outstretched hand, he smiled weakly and accepted it until he straightened up.

On trembling legs, he made his way forward and stood next to the president, accepting his hand with a shaking one and the Medal of Freedom with his other one. He was about to turn aside when the president's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

In his mind, he prayed that he wasn't about to be asked to speak. He wasn't sure he could get his lips to work properly, his shock so great that it kept him silent. Holding the medal, he felt the solid feel of it and marveled at how it felt.

Yet, he couldn't quite grasp the reality of it.

Vaguely, he heard President Hayes mention a civilian citation that would go on public record for him. That it would say something about how he helped avert some kind of disaster to a people that they were fond of. Or something like that. Honestly, it didn't really matter what they said, he supposed that it was enough that it would say something.

A thought hit him and he struggled to not let his thoughts show. It was just that he wished quite desperately that Jack was there to see this. He'd get a kick out of this whole thing, feeling that it was long over due.

He noticed that the Vice President had walked over to him and held out his hand with a stiff smile. To his eyes, it looked like the man had swallowed something unpleasant but couldn't get rid of it just yet.

Daniel supposed he should feel guilty for their last meeting, but couldn't. How do you regret doing something you felt was necessary? That you truly did not feel sorry for?

"After all, there aren't many people who have given us as many allies as you have," the president joked good-naturedly as Daniel shook Kinsey's hand. "Or made as many treaties with difficult races as you."

Daniel smiled weakly, his reply sounded thin to his own ears. "So I've heard. But I don't feel like I really deserve it," he said.

"Sure ya do, doc," a voice hollered from the back. Most recognized Ferretti's voice and turned to share a grin with him. "That thing has been calling to you for years, only you've never bothered to return the call."

"You've earned it more times than I can give it to you," the president agreed, not minding the comment. He was observant enough to note that it was the family atmosphere, the close ties they felt for each other that made this whole program work as well as it did.

"Thank you for this, President Hayes," he went on with a bit more confidence. Though he still felt unsure and didn't know what to make of this, he was grateful for it. It vindicated him in some way that he hadn't known he'd wanted until that moment.

Walking back down, he took his place with SG-1 with more confidence than he had felt going up to the podium.

"And now there is another member here who has been with us from the beginning. A man who gave up his world believing that there was a chance that we'd come through for him in his fight for his people's freedom. With him at our side, we have met many valuable allies and a great mentor for all of us. Though from what I understand, it is he who has come through for us more than we for him. Master Teal'c," he called out.

The Jaffa bowed his head and walked forward. Towering over the president, he shook the hands of both men gravely. "You have given me a chance for a better life, for the freedom of my people. That is more than I would have been given had I stayed a slave to Apophis."

President Hayes smiled as he accepted the words. "We still owe you a debt of gratitude for your sacrifice, Master Teal'c. This isn't much, but it is the best that we have to offer you for now." So saying, he also gave him a Medal of Freedom. Once he rejoined his team, the president spoke for a few more minutes, thanking them again for the work they did.

Kinsey stood beside the president and kept his face neutral, though it was hard. His hand hurt from the tight shake he'd received. If he didn't know any better, he would've believed that the alien-Teal'c, he supposed he should call him, had done it deliberately.

Pushing aside his resentful thoughts, he got ready to be announced. He had quite a nice little speech prepared for the occasion. It walked the fine line between praise and insinuations of their more subversive actions.

"**_Unscheduled off-world activation!_**" The familiar alarm went off as the red lights began their familiar flashing. "**_This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill._**"

Instantly, the room started to clear. A few people whispered nervously. For the most part, though, it was a calm and orderly evacuation. Even though they knew it was no drill, there was no panic in their movements. To them, this was merely a ritual. Something they had rehearsed for many times over the course of their time in the SGC.

The various personnel went out the door on the right while the marines came in through the left and took their positions, weapons at the ready. Hayes, Kinsey, and SG-1 joined the general in the control room.

"Any idc?" General Hammond asked, standing behind Walter.

"Not yet, sir."

"If anything happens to us, it'll be on your head," Kinsey hissed.

Though they all gave him a look, his comment was mostly overlooked.

"It's the Tok'Ra," Walter told them once the code had been given.

"Open the iris," he began to say when a sound came over the loudspeaker. His face puckered up in confusion, unable to understand what the message was. They turned to Daniel, biting his lip as he concentrated on the words. It was hard to make out for it was an older dialect of the Tok'Ra tongue.

"Do not open the Iris. Can't quite make out that word, something about the dangerous pull of gravity," he said. His eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. He could tell that the others hadn't thought of the possibility just yet. "Oh, not another black hole!"

Sam instantly sat down, her fingers flying over the keyboard. "No. The gravitational pull is not the same as one."

"How do we shut it off?" the general asked, even as he gave Walter the order to evacuate the gate room of the men. If there was a possibility of an explosion, he wanted his men out of the room. It might be futile but he needed to do something. Who knew what the Tok'Ra would use to get the results they wanted?

"I don't know," she started to say when the voice spoke again. Everyone held their breath for the transmission this time was fuzzy. They knew that Daniel would need the silence to be able to translate what he could hear.

Sitting down, he leaned in closer to the speakers, focusing only on the speaker and not on the background sounds. They were all too familiar to him anyway. "They say that they plan to overload the Stargate," Daniel dully said.

"Make it jump to another location?" she guessed.

Daniel's head shook.

Her eyes closed. "That's what I thought." She felt that she was loosing family and whispered consolingly to Jolinar. _I am sorry, my friend. Did you know them_?

_Not this particular branch for they worked on the fringes of our order. But they were family to me just the same_.

_Tonight, you and I shall have a private ceremony of farewell and honor for them. They should not die alone and unmarked as though they were traitors. They are heroes to the cause that they fought all their lives for_.

_Thank you, Samantha. They shall appreciate the gesture_.

"What?" General Hammond asked, breaking into her thoughts.

Feeling both irritated and grateful for the intrusion, she answered him briskly. "They plan to have the Stargate explode, forcing the planet to collapse into itself. If the force is great enough, they will destroy the gravitational pull. If it's too great, we may get caught up in the vacuum that will be created."

"What if the force isn't great enough?" General Hammond asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer very much.

"Then the wormhole will act as a conduit," she said, "pulling it here to us." Rapidly, she made some calculations and nodded her head.

"Creating the same kind of situation we had with the black hole," he pointed out, watching her carefully.

"It will be similar, sir," she hesitated before continuing with her explanation in the same unemotional tone of voice. There was a certain degree of comfort in using a flat tone, she thought as she spoke. "The Stargate's emissions will amplify it and it will take us out almost instantly. We won't even feel it when it hits us."

They stayed in the Control Room, tensely waiting for the outcome in silence. Over the intercom, the strange voice spoke. Daniel listened and spoke to them before he translated the message to them. "We shall meet each other again in better conditions one day, faithful friends and allies. I told them that we look forward to that day and wish them peace in the afterlife."

They could hear what sounded like a crash and lots of shots being fired. Every once in a while, a loud bang could be heard as the iris was hit. Then, the wormhole shut off. The silence was eerie and most held as still as possible, almost afraid to move.

The unspoken fear of shattering the spell was broken when General Hammond cleared his throat, reminding them that they still had a job to do. Walter instantly went to work. A crew went into the gate room, dressed against possible radiation. They tested the iris and turned, giving them the thumbs up signal.

"Good work," General Hammond congratulated them.

The president turned to George and smiled at him. The effect was a little weak but the result was the same. Those in the command center knew that he wasn't displeased to see how they dealt with any problems that arose with their jobs. "Well, you sure know how to make a person feel right at home, George. We really must do this again sometime."

"If you don't mind, Mr. President," Kinsey said, looking faintly green. That was to close for his comfort. For all his knowledge of the reality of life beyond this world, he had not expected to come into contact with it. Not in his lifetime. "I'll take a rain check on that."

_No one would really miss you_, he thought, not without some regret. Kinsey had his bad points, but he had some good points as well. If pressed, he probably wouldn't be able to come up with any at the moment. Still, he had to have some, buried deep within him. His dog liked him after all.

At least, he thought the dog did.

"That's all right," he said. "I'll excuse you from it. Tell me, what would I have to do to go through the Stargate?"

"Mr. President," one of the secret service men protested. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"There's no way we can predict what may happen on another world," another agreed. "It is our job to protect you."

"And we have no off-world experience," the first man said.

"I'll be fine," he blew them off. "I'm sure that in the company of one of the SG teams, they will do the very best they can to protect me as you would. After all, it is what they are trained to do. This is something they do all the time. I should not ask them to continue to do this if I am unwilling to try it myself. So, what do you say?"

General Hammond looked at SG-1, considering the request. "I have not been out there in recent years. What do you say? Would it be hard to find a place for the president to go?"

Sam and Daniel exchanged glances, glancing up at Teal'c. When he bowed his head, the major answered the general's query. "Give us a little time to talk to our allies and arrange for a proper visit, many of them do not like us showing up unexpectedly. It shouldn't be too much trouble finding a safe world. We have been to several in the past. May be Tollana…"

"Cimmeria," Daniel stated his opinion firmly. They looked at him and he explained his reasons. "Not that Tollana isn't a bad place but since the attack last week, we have heard nothing from them."

"A very good reason," The president said. "But why would you chose Cimmeria?"

"Because there is a built in defense that the Goa'uld have yet to defeat there," he pointed out, "Thor's Hammer. We have been there in recent years and know that the replicators have not touched it. There isn't anything there that they desire. And if we get into any trouble, the Asgard will come to our aid. If you don't like that idea, then I believe that our other choice should be the Land of Light. Without the touched plague, everything there is fine. Even if it became an issue, we know how to cure it."

"Great," he rubbed his hands together excitedly. "When can I go?"

"Mr. President," Kinsey started.

"Oh, give it up, Kinsey. You don't have to come with me. I realize that doing such a thing would require something from you that you don't have," Hayes snapped, finally losing patience with the man.

Kinsey stiffened visibly and bristled at the implied slur against his courage. It was not the first time he'd heard such words directed at him, though it was the first time the president had said anything to him.

Yet he knew that, in all honesty, it would probably not be the last time either. He often felt that the fact that he'd never served in the armed forces had been held against him. For what might have been the first time in his life, he questioned that decision of his with regret before moving on.

Besides, if the president went through and something happened to him, he might be held accountable in the minds of the American public. They would be the ones to truly judge his performance and if they found it lacking, he would lose all that he had striven to gain.

Stiffly, he told him, "I assure you, Mr. President, that if you were to go, I would go before you did. It wouldn't be right for me to stay behind while you risked the safety of the nation on this foolhardy adventure."

"The nation," he patiently said, "will be fine. They don't need to see me twenty four seven to be assured of their safety. I highly doubt that things will go FUBAR without me around."

George hid a grin; his friend was still as he remembered him. "I think it would be best to prepare two or three of your secret service men first. Even though we will take you to a safe place and try to cover all of our bases, things can still go wrong. Also, I think we need to let things with the System Lords settle down."

"Yeah, speaking of them. A moment of your time, George?" With Kinsey trailing after them, the two men walked into George's office.

"I'm going to go to my office, to put this away." Daniel said, moving away from the computer. With the general and the president gone, he felt that it would be okay for him to excuse himself. The close call with the gate and the distressed voices of the Tok'Ra agents still rang in his ears. For him, there would be no comfort that night. "Plus, there are a few things that I need to see to."

"I should get to work myself. Walk you down?" Sam asked. Partly out of concern and partly because she didn't want to be alone just yet. She would see to Daniel's comfort, then spend some time in quiet discussion with Jolinar.

Daniel smiled, knowing what she was feeling instantly. "I'd like that." He didn't feel like being alone either. The deaths had rattled him again and he knew that their voices, their sacrifice for them all, would haunt him all his life.

"I shall join you for I feel the need to meditate. Today's proceedings have left me feeling very disturbed." It was no surprise to hear Teal'c's words. To know that he felt the same way they had. It was just the way SG-1 was, the bond between them went deep.

The trio left the command center, secure that they were still together. Still standing side by side after all these years. It was a comforting feeling, to be among family. They still felt the loss deeply but it was getting easier to bear it as time went by.

Besides, there was a feeling inside each of them that Jack wasn't really gone. Knowing that helped them carry on.

656

There was a knock on the door and he put aside his work, calling out a distracted, "Yes?"

"Doctor Jackson," Oshun greeted him. "I offer you my sincerest congratulations on your honors, though I am not sure I understand the reasons behind them. We do not do such things nor hold such ceremonies."

"Thank you, Lady Oshun. How are you?" he politely asked. Standing up, he waited until she entered his office and sat down.

"I am well," she replied. "As is your daughter, though she still grieves for Colonel O'Neill."

"As do we all," he murmured. Shaking off the three month old grief with little effort, he turned the conversation to her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

For a while it seemed that she would not answer him. "I have come here to ask you for a favor. Selmak and the Tok'Ra council wish that you would represent Earth in a council of peace. With the threat of the Kull Warriors hanging over all of our heads, many of our enemies have sought our assistance. It was thought best that we should hear them out."

"Not that I don't find this flattering, but I feel that I must ask you why me? Why of all the people you could choose, why did you choose me? There are many others here who are far more qualified to serve as diplomats for this council meeting. Many of them have quite a few peace delegations under their belts and experience with these kinds of galactic relations. Experience that I lack. Most importantly, they have not been responsible for the many losses in the ranks of the Goa'uld System Lords. I take it that they will be there?" he made it a question, though he was pretty sure they would be so afraid for their lives that they would show up.

"Selmak feels that you would be the best choice. You would listen to them with an open mind, even when you wish do not to. Before you say it, I know that you have caused problems for them. But you and I know that they are selfish enough to overlook your transgressions. I agree with Selmak, you are the wisest choice among all of the Tua'ri," she said calmly. "Do not fear to say no if this is something you do not wish to do. I am needed elsewhere, so you would be working with a Tok'Ra who caused your friend much pain."

"Which friend?" he asked, leaning against his desk.

"Ambassador Antiam," she replied calmly, not flinching away from his look. "Yes, it is she, the mother of Canaan. You would be working with Ama-Terasu."

Daniel stiffened visibly. Ama-Terasu. The Tok'Ra Queen who had lied for months about the true state of Canaan's health. It had deeply scarred his friend, leaving Antiam feeling something beyond betrayal for she had liked her. Ama-Terasu had been one of the few to earn that honor.

Antiam hadn't wanted to talk about the full extent of the betrayal. In her mind, though she resented it with every fiber of her body, it was over. It was the same attitude she had displayed as Jack over Colonel Cromwell. That was just the way Antiam was. She liked to lock away all the horrid things that happened to her, that she had done, in a tiny box and forget about it.

Forget about it all except the feelings of betrayal and hurt. Those she kept close and wielded like a weapon, a dangerous weapon. Something he could understand for he had done it himself many times in his life. And with the life she'd been asked to live up until recently, quite understandable.

Hate was a potent weapon when used correctly. Or even incorrectly for it was strong and wild, difficult to handle and hard to keep under tight control.

"Doctor Jackson, do you feel well?" Oshun asked, worried by the sight of his tightly clenched fists.

Her voice jerked him from his thoughts and he forced himself to relax. It wouldn't do to frighten her any more than he already had. "I'm fine," he answered when he felt his voice wouldn't betray him. "Canaan won't be there?"

"No," she replied, puzzled by the almost cold look in his eyes. "Ama-Terasu, though thankful that her son is alive, no longer acknowledges him as her blood. At least, not publicly."

"That must be difficult," he dispassionately observed.

"I know that Ambassador Antiam and you are friends. Will what happened to her influence your ability to work with us?" she asked, worried. The memories of her host had revealed a deep friendship between the late Colonel and him. A friendship she saw reflections of between him and Antiam. Now thinking upon it, she wondered if this was the wisest decision she had made since awakening in this new world.

"No," he answered her question blandly. "Since Antiam has shown that bears no malice towards Ama-Terasu, why should I?" The words came out smoothly for this was another mask that he put upon himself easily. There were things he knew and people he trusted with his innermost thoughts, she was not one of them.

"Then you will do this for us and the Tua'ri?"

"I will speak to General Hammond," he evaded her question.

"That is a wise decision," she bowed her head. When she looked up, Daniel could tell the difference. "Daddy."

"Anya," he greeted, pushing himself off the desk and kneeling before her. "How are you?"

She flung her arms around him without reservation, hugging him tightly. "I'm all right. Not great, but not bad," she shrugged, knowing better than to be silent when he asked a question. Unobservant as he sometimes could be, he did notice these things and worried over her.

And it felt nice to have him take an interest in her outside of her work with the Tok'Ra and his at the SGC. Almost like he was a real father to her, though she barely knew him. She had known her Uncle Jack better.

Uncle Jack had been on her case with just about everything. He was like that with everyone, even the Asgard. With Uncle Jack, there were no walls or boundaries once he claimed you as family. It was his way. His love was outspoken and very physically shown.

Her dad was different. His love was softer, more unspoken. But it was just as true. Her dad wouldn't let it go if she didn't tell him what he wanted to know easily. While he wouldn't push, he would gently work around any obstacle until he got what he wanted. Being a linguist, he always found out what he wanted to know with little effort.

Uncle Jack differed in that he may have asked out of politeness but he didn't push her when there was no immediate reply. Knowing her father and how he did things, he knew how to treat both of the troublesome Jacksons in his clan. He'd just take her off to the doctor or outside the base for food.

Thinking of Uncle Jack made her feel more than a little sad. It was hard to keep that from showing but she wanted her meeting with her dad to be happy and upbeat. Letting him see her thoughts would hurt him, so she hid them. He would be sad if he knew who she was thinking about. Like her, he missed the colonel.

"You're getting enough rest and food, right?" he gently pressed.

"They take care of me," she shrugged again. "I guess they really want me to get better. Or protect their interests. Jacob says its cause they feel bad about this." Something in her voice revealed her doubt about that.

"I'm sure they do, Anya. They aren't bad people," the reply was automatic. Daniel found the note of cynicism in her words disturbing. It was something he would question her about later, when he had had time to gather his own thoughts.

Standing up, he pulled her towards the couch. Sitting down, he kept her cradled near him, enjoying the warmth of his daughter by his side. Except for a few people, she was the only one who had been so close to him since Jack's death.

Anya leaned closer, resting her head against his heart. Like him, she was loath to lose this closeness. "So, other than the Tok'Ra business, what have you been up to?"

"Visiting grandpa and Skaara. Did you know he's getting married?" she asked, excited.

"Kasuf?" he teased.

"No, dad. Skaara." She sounded exasperated with him, though there was a twinkle in her eye to let him know that she knew he was doing.

"I didn't know that," he listened to her speak about all that had been happening with his family on Abydos and made a note to ask the general if he could visit. It had been a long time since he had visited them.

The last time had been after the ceremony at Arlington. With Anya at his side, he had gone back to have a celebration with those who had known Jack. It was all that his friend would've wanted. But it hurt deeply and he could not bring himself to return after that.

656

Knocking on General Hammond's door, Daniel couldn't help but hope that he would refuse the request. As enlightening as it sounded to participate in the conference, he wasn't sure it was what he wanted. He was not by training a diplomat, though he certainly knew how to be diplomatic. It was, after all, a necessity in the jobs he did, both as an explorer and as a man who studied the lives of people, both past and present.

"Come in!" he called, finishing the report. Signing it, he closed the folder and put it to the side. "Ah, Dr. Jackson, I was just about to call you."

"You were?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes," he said. "A few days ago, Martouf gave me a missive from Selmak. I was told not to open it until I could discuss the contents of it with President Hayes. Has Lady Oshun asked you to represent us in this conference?"

"She did," he nodded.

Something in his voice had Hammond reaching for the phone. "Sgt. Davis?" he said when he heard the familiar voice greet him.

"_Sir?_"

"See that all my appointments for today are pushed back a half hour," he ordered, his eyes never left Daniel's face. It was almost as if he was trying to read his mood.

"_Yes, sir,_" the affirmative answer was swift and they hung up.

"What's on your mind, son?" He asked after watching the young man fiddle with his hands in silence for a while. Though he had a feeling he knew, he felt it best if Daniel told him.

"I don't want to do this." He hesitated, not able to come up with a good reason for his reluctance. It was especially difficult in light of the general's obvious desire that he be their emissary.

"Go on," George encouraged him. "Don't be afraid to say what's on you mind. No matter how silly it sounds, I have often valued your intuition and the path it leads us all down."

"Its just that Queen Ama-Terasu will be there," he burst out. It may have been unprofessional but he felt it best to get it out. Once spoken, his thoughts came easily and he was calmer as he spoke. "It was because of her that J…Antiam allowed Canaan to enter her. Ama-Terasu betrayed Antiam by lying about her son's health. This gave him the opportunity to take over her body."

"That's quite a strong statement," he said, his voice stern with warning. "Do you have any proof?" The question came, though General Hammond believed him. He knew how close the two of them were, more so because he knew the truth.

Nevertheless, it would not do to accuse an ally without any evidence of wrongdoing. They had to few as it was and couldn't afford to alienate the ones they did have. And, although he caught the almost slip up on names; he kept the conversation going as if there was nothing to catch.

End, Act 25.

Author's Thanks: umino-gaara, thanks for letting me know. Glad you like it.


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

Author's Note: I guess this might be considered a spoiler for s9. I swear I didn't know what they were going to do before I got the idea for this chapter. Slight Arthurian bent to this chapter. Whatever the plans of the show in s9, it won't be following them. I do not have cable anymore and I won't read/listen to any more spoilers b/c they just depress me.

656

"Only what she told me," he said as if that was enough.

George supposed, for Daniel, it was. In life, they hadn't lied unless it was absolutely necessary. And they had enough hidden clues in their words to each other that the lies hadn't damaged them. At least, that's what it looked like to any observer.

It was how they wanted it to look, though it was far from being that simple. To the few trusted insiders, they knew just how much hard work the two had put into keeping their friendship strong through the years. Though difficult, they had felt that it was worth the cost it exacted from them.

"As far as Antiam is concerned," Daniel went on, interrupting his thoughts, "it is over and done with. She wanted it to be forgotten."

"Then what's the problem? If she isn't out for blood, I see no reason to worry over it."

Looking General Hammond in the eye, he unflinchingly replied with the truth. "Though she won't admit it, we both know the truth. What happened to her was like when Hathor raped me. Hearing about this betrayal, it reopened wounds for me. Wounds I thought had healed," he said, pausing to regain his composure. "I cannot work with this woman because it reminds me of Hathor. I live with the horror of what she did to me. It is too close to that for me to ignore."

Again he stopped, closing his eyes for a moment before stating firmly. General Hammond deserved to know exactly how he felt. "I don't think that I can work with her knowing that what happened to Antiam was a result of her machinations. It is too close to home."

General Hammond was silent. It was not what he wanted and he was slightly disturbed to hear it. He had known that this was what he was going to hear. Still, knowing and being prepared for it were two different things.

Yet, his reasons were valid ones, even if they put him in a difficult position. Who else could they get to handle this delicate situation that had Daniel's vast experience with the Goa'uld and other alien cultures? It was a question that he would have to ponder, unless he wanted to play dirty.

Finally, he nodded slowly. "Very well. I will inform the Tok'Ra that you are unable to do this conference."

"I am sorry if I've put you in a bad spot," he said.

"It's all right, son," he waved off the apology with a tired smile. "You have to do what feels right for you."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Selmak and Jacob both think that this is all just a cover for their real mission." The general let that sentence hang in the air, just letting Daniel put the pieces together for himself.

"Which is?" he asked, feeling sick in his stomach. He knew that this conversation wasn't going to end the way he wished it would. In fact, Daniel was almost sure that he was about to agree to go to the conference.

"They believe what that the Goa'ulds really want from this conference is the chance to take away the Ancients Technology in Antarctica. They will say that our using it, our even having it here, is a violation of the Asgard Planets Protected Alliance. If you remember, we almost lost the Stargate to them. If Colonel O'Neill hadn't bluffed them, we would have lost."

"What?" he exclaimed, the feeling exploded within him as his thoughts were confirmed by these words. It didn't surprise him that the System Lords would try something like this. It only surprised him that they had waited this long to do so. "That's crazy!"

"They've never let something like that stop them before," he dryly pointed out.

"True," he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was hoping that you could convince them that we did nothing wrong," he said, gently nudging him. "Still, I will see about having Dr. Weir handle it. Ever since she heard about this place, she's wanted to be a part of it. This may be her chance."

"I'll go with her." Daniel sighed again. This time the sound was tinged with resignation and weariness. All these battles with the Goa'uld wearied him. They only seemed to end with more conflict, more violence. Neither side ever yielded and the only reason they managed to keep ahead of them was sheer, dumb luck. Something that would run out for them sooner or later, he knew they couldn't keep relying on it to save them.

"Are you sure? I won't make you." George felt a little guilty for his arm-twisting.

"I know. But, as we all know, I have experience with the Goa'uld that she does not," he pointed out, resigned. "A conference like this is no time for Dr. Weir to learn how to deal with them. They aren't like the dictators and politicians she's used to dealing with. We are talking about the main defense force we have against them. This is much to important for a novice to the world of intergalactic politics."

The general's conscience hit him as he listened to the doctor.

Daniel's anger about what had been done was deep, cast in a die that had begun with Hathor and her manipulations. His concerns about how it would affect him were valid ones. What had happened to her, he felt deeply about the wrongness of it.

And when he felt that way, it always had his full, passionate conviction working on their behalf. Daniel was right, in this. He usually was. His strong feelings could alter the way he handled the business before him.

But he couldn't regret what was, in essence, a necessary evil.

He didn't mean to put down Dr. Weir's extensive contributions in the realm of world politics, but she knew nothing of the kind of beings she'd be dealing with. They needed the best person for the job out there, not in here. Someone with the experience and the patience, not to mention the sheer guts to stick it out and make this work.

In short, they needed Daniel.

"Very well," he said. "I shall inform Dr. Weir that you two shall be attending this summit. I will make it clear to her that, while you may give her pointers or advice, she is not your assistant. The two of you are going as partners and will discuss the problems that happen together. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes. Thank you, General." He stood up and walked away, still feeling anxious. Now, though, it was tinged with excitement. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was a chance to make a lasting mark upon the fate of mankind-and the universe.

Still, he couldn't help but fear how he would react when he met Ama-Terasu.

656

"Hey, Sam."

"Daniel," she started to smile but it faded from her face as she saw his face. The pinched look on his face scared her. "What is it? Has something happened to Anya?"

"What? No, she's fine. Actually, it has more to do with me leaving the SGC for a peace conference with a bunch of System Lords."

"Tell me," she invited, shutting the door and walking down the hall with him. They moved in silence until they checked out and were out of the mountain.

"I can't tell you everything, Sam," he warned as he approached his car.

"Tell me what you can," she said, getting in when the door unlocked. "I would never ask you to betray a confidence." And she never would. She needed his discretion to much at times to violate that trust.

Starting up the car, they again fell into a companionable silence as they drove along. Coming to a stop at the park he had been taken to by Dr. Pierson, they got out and began to hike in a northeasterly direction. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak of what had just happened in General Hammond's office and before.

Once he started, the words flowed in rapid succession. He didn't feel as if he was overloading her, he trusted that Sam would let him know if it was too much. As he spoke, relief overcame him as he finally felt free of the dark cloud that hung over him.

This was what he needed, he thought as they walked along the path. Just to speak freely with a friend who would reserve judgment. Who wouldn't interrupt him and ask questions that he wasn't prepared to answer. Sam would listen and then weigh the options before giving him her honest opinion.

Or she would say nothing, knowing that he had only needed an ear to bend. It was one of the things he valued most in their friendship, the ability to just talk and know that he was understood. Of course, it didn't always work that way.

She was a bit more fact bound than he was, needed a little more foundation before she could come to an accurate assessment of the situation. He, on the other hand, relied more upon his instincts and his own observations to come to a conclusion.

Linear thinking to his outside of the box thinking arguments had a tendency to cause problems for those who temporarily lead them. It sometimes caused problems when she tried to lead him, though her own background mitigate the damage.

Still, awkward though it could be, it worked for them when they most needed it to.

"Well, this conference is two and a half months away, you have that much time to prepare for it," she finally said into the stillness.

"I don't think so," he shook his head. "Our next mission is in two days."

"Yes. And is mostly archeological in its purpose. You'll be able to relax, knock on wood," she stopped and, with a wry smile, gently rapped the tree trunk, "and figure out what you want to do."

With a smile, he agreed with her. Notwithstanding her words, he doubted it would be that easy. There was just to much unrest within him to believe that he could just let it go and do the work that he was called to do.

Sam knew what he was thinking and opened her mouth to comfort him. To try to encourage him and remind him of the near miraculous things he had accomplished over his time at with them.

A firm voice stopped her. _Samantha, don't say a word_.

_But…_she objected, startled by the words. By the firmness behind them, the conviction they carried that made them seem right.

_He is not ready to accept it. If you push, it will only hurt him_.

With a sigh, Sam accepted Jolinar's words. The Tok'Ra had always been more perceptive than she. They sat down on a log and watched the sun sink into the west before going back to the car.

It wasn't a perfect end to the day, but it came close.

656

Emerging from the Stargate, SG-1 looked about the planet. Lush, fertile fields were marked out in order on their right beside a deep lake. Beyond that, in the distance over a rise of hills, a village of what looked to be mid-sized population waited in the dawning light.

Under Teal'c's command, they moved forward, keeping an eye out for trouble. Or any sighs that there were people about. Dr. Markov knelt down and took a sample of the water, testing it. "The water from this lake will do us no harm, though I do suggest that we purify it to be sure."

"It is actually a loch," a deep brogue spoke from the clearing. "Welcome to the fair waters of the Inverness."

For a moment, he didn't recognize that he spoke in Welsh, it not being one of the languages he was most fluent in, and it took him a moment to translate it for the others who waited, watching them. "Thank you." Daniel walked over to the graying man with the team following more slowly. Something in the back of his mind tingled, as though it recalled this man from somewhere.

The eyes widened and the man inhaled sharply. "Oh, my. You…it is you, isn't it?" he asked before words came flying out of his mouth faster than Daniel could understand, let alone translate, in his native tongue.

He could only stand there and stare at him in blank non-comprehension.

Finally, the man paused for breath and became aware of the looks he was receiving from the team. "How is it possible that you do not recognize me?" he asked, still in his own tongue.

"Daniel, what's he saying?" Sam hissed at him.

Daniel shrugged, looking at them helplessly. "Sorry," he feebly offered, not knowing what else to do under the circumstances. After a moment of prickly silence, he finally introduced them, hoping it would ease the tension. Put them on firm ground, ground he and his team knew well. "I am Dr. Daniel Jackson, from Earth. This is SG-1, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Svetlana Markov, and Master Teal'c. And this is Martouf of the Tok'Ra."

"A pleasure to meet you," the man bowed, switching to Basic easily. If not for the woman's words, he would not have known in what language to address them. Speaking the most common tongue of the galaxy relaxed him, though he could not escape his own strong impressions. "I am Sir Thomas Eclidorne."

The name struck Daniel. "Thomas Eclidorne?" he mused, thinking over the legends he'd studied over the years. "Legend tells of a man by that name. It was said that he spent sometime in Faery and when he was released, a hundred years had gone by. He died for none who dwell there can ever call the mortal realm home again."

"It is true," he agreed. "There are many such legends in these parts." He said no more, unable-or merely unwilling-to utter a lie to this man. To the discerning eye, it was hard to say which it was.

"How is that possible?" One of the females asked. "The Stargate was closed centuries ago and wouldn't have been anywhere near England."

Thomas noted absently that it was the blonde who spoke. Was she this Major Carter that he had introduced first? He wished that he'd paid more attention to the introductions.

"Unless you know the location of the third Stargate," the other woman spoke. Her voice was accented in a familiar tone to him.

"Stargate?" he repeated, puzzled. Light flashed in his eyes when he realized what they referred to. "No, I didn't travel through the serena clwyd as you have. My people and I were brought by other means."

"What means would this be?" the dark skinned and imposing man asked, his words precise in their erudition. "A Goa'uld mother ship?"

"A what?" he asked, staring up at him in awe. The only other man he had seen that tall was the knight, Percival. For a moment, he thought that it was his old Saracen friend come back for a visit but knew that it was just a trick of the light.

"You do not know of the Goa'uld?" The other man quietly asked, studying him with intense eyes that Thomas found more than a little disconcerting.

"I was brought here by the Furlings," he said, watching them warily now. Turning about, he saw the one called himself Daniel Jackson exploring the writings on the wall.

"You were?" the blonde asked, voice heavy with skepticism.

"What reason would I have to lie?" he asked.

Coldly, she informed him. "We have rarely met people without an ulterior motive that hurt us in the end because we believed them with no proof."

"Sir Thomas is correct," Daniel said, translating the words he'd been studying. "_Diogel byd_, safe world. If I'm translating correctly, this is one of seven worlds designated by the _cynghrair_, the alliance, as a place of safety. They were placed in the hands of a _ymddiriedobur_, a trustee, who would watch over and guard them until…" he trailed off.

"Until what, Dr. Jackson?"

"I don't know, Dr. Markov. That part of the writing is rubbed clean." Facing Thomas, he asked, "Do you have a trustee?"

"We do," he replied.

"That would be you, right?" he guessed. When the man nodded, Daniel smiled. "So, what does the rest of is say? How long will you be the trustee?"

"I will be the guardian until the writing is completed and all is restored."

The words registered with Daniel, though he did not know why they should. They were unremarkable and didn't sound like anything he'd studied in the past. Or anything he had discovered while working at the SGC.

Briefly, he contemplated the thought that it could've come from his time as an Ascended but he rejected the idea. Save for his memories of Jack, he retained nothing from that time. "Restored?" he questioned.

"Sounds rather biblical," Dr. Markov observed sarcastically.

Thomas did not notice. His eyes never left Daniel, searching for hidden knowledge within his eyes. "Yes, restored. There is one who will return and heal the rift caused by the invaders."

"Really? How so?" he asked

"Daniel," Sam interrupted him, warningly.

"Huh?" he blinked, turning to her and reading her tense expression. "Oh. This discussion is really neither here nor there. Are there any others?"

"My people are away," he informed them, gesturing off to one side. Turning to face the blonde woman he thought was the leader, he offered. "But the _goruchef offeiriad_ is available. Today is the day he usually relaxes from his many duties but since you are newcomers and have traveled through the…what did you call it? The Stargate?"

"That's correct. Thank you," Daniel said. Giving one last regretful look at the ruins, he followed Thomas up towards the town.

"Daniel? What are we doing?" Sam asked.

"We're going to see the Most High Priest, the leader of…excuse me?"

"Yes?" Thomas stopped, looking back at him expectantly.

"What is your town called?"

"The town we dwell in at the moment is East Camel, for we are in the spring and summer months. In a few weeks, we shall travel to West Camel for it is on higher ground and is more comfortable for the fall and winter season. We refer to our world as Camelud."

"Camelot?" Daniel gasped.

"No," Thomas corrected him. " Camelud. We would not be so presumptuous as to name our world after our _Dux Britorian's_ fair city."

"Arthur," Dr. Markov said. "Is that who you speak of?"

"Of him, yes."

"It is he who you are waiting for," Daniel stated. "He will relieve you of your duty."

"And protect our universe once again as he and his fellow warriors once did." Thomas finished the unspoken thought for him. "It is coming. The circle has turned once more upon itself and all will be restored."

"Thomas," a man spoke from above them and their eyes automatically looked up. His enormous size was emphasized by the hill's slope. The dark hair blew widely about his face and he approached them. Around his neck, a circlet of gold glinted in the light. "Who are these visitors who have come through our _seren clwyd_? Why did you not…" he trailed off, staring in awe.

Daniel shifted uncomfortably under his intense study. The weight behind the stare filling him with more than just a little discomfort. This man was staring at him as though he knew him very well.

"Highness, I apologize. I did not think…" Thomas spoke quietly and in their native tongue, walking up to the man and bowing respectfully.

"Be still," he softly commanded him. "If I had seen this as clearly as you, I would have done the same. Is he?"

"He does not know us, highness," Thomas cautioned.

"No, he would not. For he is reborn," the Most High Priest said. "It is he, but it is not he, something besides knowledge is missing. Thomas, I need you to go ahead of us. Warn those who remain about what has occurred this day. Ask them to continue as though everything is normal, though they may wish to do otherwise."

"Yes, highness. Please, let me make you known to him first." So saying, he turned to Daniel and waved him forward. Once the two were face to face, he said clearly. "Dr. Jackson, this is our Most High Priest, Gwalchavad. Lord Gwalchavad, this is Doctor Daniel Jackson. I am sorry but the names of your companions escapes me." Though he felt half tempted to introduce the Moorish man with the tattoo as Percival, he felt it would be improper.

"I am honored to meet you, Dr. Jackson."

"As I am you, Most High Priest Gwalchavad," he bowed before him. "I would like to introduce you to my team, SG-1. This is Major Samantha Carter, our leader."

Gwalchavad bowed before her. "It is a shame our battle commander, Captain Gwenhwyvar, is away serving our protectors. I am sure that she would love to discuss things of military importance with you."

Sam blinked and looked uncertainly at Daniel before answering him. "You have a female battle chief?"

"We choose our leaders based on ability," he replied. "Why would we do otherwise? Is that not your own custom?"

She floundered for a moment, trying to think of a reply. "It is. But when we travel, it is rare to find a society in which women hold places of such prominence."

"Such a shame that is, to deny those who are capable their place," he said.

Daniel took that as his sign to continue the introductions and waved to Svetlana. "This is our science officer, Doctor Svetlana Markov."

Both men's eyes flashed with concern before he smiled. "Is the work you do so dangerous that you must have a healer with you always?"

"Our work is, at times, very dangerous. But I am not a healer, though I have training in basic medical aid, as we all do," she said. "I am a scientist who specializes in astronomy, the study of the planets and stars. I also have background in geology, the study of plants and animals."

"Then you might enjoy speaking in the Debate Hall with our most learned people."

"I am here to learn," she demurred. "Not cause a revolution."

He smiled, "And part of learning is sharing what you know, thereby broadening your own knowledge by relearning it."

Teal'c watched this and felt Daniel's unease. Taking a chance, he moved behind Svetlana and held out his hand to the leader. "I am Teal'c."

Gwalchavad looked at the hand, then up at him, and recognized the meaning behind the mark on his forehead. "You are what is known in our mother tongue as a _terfyn_ _caethwas_. A bound slave."

"I am."

"No longer," he contradicted him gently but firmly. 'The choice you made freed you in a way that others could not."

"This is Martouf, a member of one of the races we are allied with, the Tok'Ra." The final introduction out of the way, Daniel fell silent and waited, watching warily. Though he was enjoying this time out, he couldn't help but worry over what would happen once they returned to the SGC and he had to travel to the 'peace' conference.

"It is an honor to meet you," Martouf bowed. His brow puckered in thought, he had noticed what the others seemed oblivious to. These two men seemed to be watching Daniel, waiting for something from the doctor.

It worried him. Not for the first time did he wish that the colonel was here. Since he was not, Martouf decided that he would keep an eye on the situation and hope that it would not turn into a situation.

"I am most pleased to meet you," Gwalchavad gestured behind him. "Please. Allow me to show you around our fair town."

Walking up the semi-step incline, they crested the hill, and paused to look at the view that met their eyes.

Below them, the town sprawled across several acres of land, looking both ancient and new. A pristine beauty surrounded it, though they could see the ruggedness of the place. A feeling of peace, of homecoming passed through them and they glanced at each other in surprised delight, before walking into the town.

This mission may prove to be all I need, Daniel thought before letting the peace fill him.

6

Dr. Weir and he stepped through the Stargate and were met by Oshun and a Tok'Ra they didn't know. Bowing to her, they conveyed their feelings of gratitude for the opportunity they had been given to have voice in this summit.

"It is only right as the fate of your world is but one of the things we shall speak of," Oshun said, returning the bow. "May I present my counselor and tutor, The Buffalo Woman."

"I am most pleased to make your acquaintance," the Lakota Sioux woman spoke in a deep, mellifluous voice. Her dark hair was pulled back, exposing the slightly gray streaks over her ears. She wore a white outfit with beads of blue around the bodice. "For I have heard much of you from my charge and the Tok'Ra counsel."

"As we are you," Dr. Weir returned the greeting. "I thought that you were unable to attend this summit, Lady Oshun."

"Circumstances have not changed," she replied, gesturing for them to enter the ship. "I am merely here to serve as your guide until we reach M'Zahe. It means "Holy City". We consider it our refuge from the storm. The Goa'uld also honor the city. It was decided that this would be the ideal place for this meeting."

"Wise," he murmured.

"That is what we felt. As we travel, I will teach you what you need to know. Dr. Jackson may know how to deal with the Goa'uld, but I do not believe that he has much experience dealing with a large number of them as an equal," she paused in question.

"No, can't say that I do." His grin was unrepentant. "When I meet them on equal ground, I usually bait them. The only other time I was ever at a summit, I had gone in with the full intent to kill them."

The Buffalo Woman turned to him, dark eyes full of warning. "I hope that you have no intention of doing either of those things at this meeting, Dr. Jackson. We have many things resting upon the outcome of this conference. As do you," it was a pointed reminder.

"Oh, I know," he said. "But the question was asked. I merely answered it with the honesty and consideration it deserves."

"How are we to proceed?" Dr. Weir asked, determined to get the conversation back on track. As much as it was interesting to hear of past experiences, she didn't think this was the time for reminisces. "Is there some specific protocol we are supposed to observe?"

For the next hour, Lady Oshun talked and taught them. Occasionally, her tutor would point out something she missed. Or an inconsistency them that needed explanation to make its presence clear. Mostly she emphasized the things that she over-simplified.

"Lady Oshun," she called out during a lull in the conversation. "It is your turn to fly. I will instruct them now."

Rising without complaint, she sat in the pilot's seat. Carefully, she guided the ship along an invisible trail, aware of her tutor's eyes upon her, assessing her skills. Satisfied with her actions, the Tok'Ra went to where the two Tua'ri waited.

"There are no weapons allowed." It was not a question. "Our M'Zahe is like the Jaffa's Keb, only it is not feared. You will be searched. Show no discomfort. If you do, they will use it as a weapon of doubt. They would use it to their advantage, they may say that you are concealing something from them. This is not a democratic society you will dealing with. It is not even technically a monarchy. They are a governing body of arrogant rulers who believe that they are gods. They will act accordingly. They will expect you to follow their rules. There are no doors in M'Zahe."

"What?" Dr. Weir exclaimed. "I don't want to undress in front of others."

"Dr. Weir, you shall be sequestered with the women. This is no different than anything you would be doing if you were at one of your colleges."

"I like my privacy," she maintained her position.

"Then you shall be returned once we have taken Dr. Jackson to M'Zahe, unless you have an objection to this as well?"

"I've gotten over it," he shrugged. And he had. He'd had to. His first year at the SGC had been awkward, waiting for the showers and whatnot. "There is no room for such modesty in the military. Dr. Weir, they aren't going to care."

She sighed. "I know. But I felt that I should get it out of my system now so as not to prove to be a weak link at this conference. This is not to say that I approve of what I will be asked to do. I don't like it, but it isn't that different from some of the things I was required to do in some of the Third World countries I worked in for a few years."

"Then you will do this?" The Buffalo Woman pressed, to make sure that Dr. Weir was really agreeing to this. To give the woman a chance to back out if it wasn't what she wanted. In this, no half-measure would do. It was all or nothing.

"As I said, I won't like it. But I will do it. I stood up to Vice President Kinsey, this should be easy."

"Very well," she agreed, though she doubted that this was the right thing to do. It was not her decision. "Doctor Jackson, I wish to have a word with you." She gestured that they should go into the ring room.

Following her, he was surprised to see that there was a smile on the face that had been so stern previously. "You have made friends with this Antiam who was so wronged by one of us, have you not?"

"I won't deny it," he answered, seeing no reason to hold back.

"Do you hold Ama-Terasu responsible for Canaan's actions?"

Daniel was silent, unsure of how he should answer the question. Looking her straight in the eye, he knew only honesty would do. Still, he did wonder why she was asking him these things. "How is this any business of yours?"

"It is not. Yet, I am concerned about how your feelings will impede your work. This summit is important to all, for many reasons. One of which you know. Before you answer, consider this, I alone know that the Asgard's Ambassador Antiam is your Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"How?" he whispered, shocked.

"Did I know?" she finished for him. "The Queen Ama-Terasu and her people sought sanctuary on my world. I was there when Murdock engaged him in battle-and I was the one who told Ama-Terasu's people that O'Neill had been taken by the Asgard. That Antiam had taken his place as host to the symbiote Canaan."

"You covered for him?"

"I did."

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

"O'Neill is my grandson," she replied.

"That's impossible," he stated. "Jack's descended from the Furlings and the Ancients. You are a Tok'Ra. I was under the impression that for one of the four races to blend to a symbiote would be a risk greater than intermarrying with each other."

"All true, Doctor Jackson," she agreed with him, her composure never wavering. "But I never said that I am a Tok'Ra. You believe that I am because I am with the Lady Oshun. It does me no harm in allowing you or others to think that I am a Tok'Ra. Working under this guise does not harm my work. It has on occasion, caused it to move forward better than I anticipated. And even if Emrys were not of my family, I would feel a kinship with him through our shared heritage. Emrys is one of the blessed people, as we were once called by our Irish kin."

"The Tuatha de Denann," he murmured. It was a faint memory but he was sure that he'd heard the expression before. It didn't surprise him that Jack was counted among them.

Her face hardened as she went on, ignoring his comment. Her eyes focused on a scene he could not see. Whatever it was, she did not seem too happy about it. He had a feeling that nothing ever stayed happy with them.

"There is also the fact that he did not ask for such malicious treatment. He offered his body as a vessel for Canaan, trusting in their friendship. That she would find a host and free him. He helped because he thought it was for the greater good. More importantly, he sought to save a child's life. Ama-Terasu was wrong to use that weakness against him and regrets it."

"Why did she do it?"

"You must understand, Doctor Jackson, that she was dealing with the loss of her world. She had been consort and counselor to Lord Yu for centuries. Now, she was set adrift in a world that she had no understanding of. Whether it was right or wrong, she wished to use O'Neill to regain that which she had lost."

"My lady, I cannot forgive nor forget what she did to Jack. Not only do I not want to, it is not my place to do so. But my feelings will not affect my work. I will not let them," he assured her.

"So, you do hold her accountable."

"Yes. I do." He left the room and sat down, staring out at the blackness of space. The conversation had left a bitter taste inside his mouth for he could not deny the painful truths she had spoken.

This unknown relative of Jack's had made some points that he could understand and see all to clearly. He could all to clearly see them for he was not as blind as others thought him when it came to the workings of the greater world. He knew all to well what greed, what selfishness could do.

Ama-Terasu feared for her life and future. For the first time in centuries, she was left adrift in a sea that she did not know. That she could no longer understand. So, she had done the only thing she knew how to do. Like Lady Oshun had when threatened, she had taken another's life.

Unlike Oshun, Ama-Terasu was quite willing to allow her son to take the full weight of the blame for the breach of trust. She let him carry it on his shoulders, alone with only his host to help him.

While he hadn't liked losing Anya to the Tok'Ra, at least Oshun was willing to accept the blame for her actions. The Queen did not let anyone excuse her for the choice she had made, though it had been forced upon her.

The same could not be said of Ama-Terasu. The Tok'Ra distanced herself from the crime that occurred. She accepted no culpability in the rape of Jack's mind and trust. And that was something he found utterly repugnant and hard to forgive.

656

Sam walked along, nodding politely, listening as they spoke at length about the cloud. Hiding a yawn behind her hand, she pretended to be interested in this discussion on the astral cloud, the Big Glow. Or whatever they called it now. She vaguely recalled someone making a comment about naming it after McKay since they were both full of it.

Under other circumstances, she would have found this whole thing interesting. Jolinar had been a specialist in the field of astronomy. Well, what passed as astronomy for the Tok'ra, they didn't call it that.

Resting her hands on her stomach for a moment, she thought fondly of her friend. Jolinar was asleep due to a rather unexpected development. Neither female had planned it and she had no idea how to tell Martouf, but she wasn't going to regret it.

Of course, there was still the question about how it had happened in the first place. But that was another matter entirely.

Recalling her mind to the conversation, she smiled at him. "I'll be sure to tell Dr. Markov of your findings. She should be on the bridge to observe the ort cloud at 0600. If it is all right with you, sir, I think I'll turn in. It has been a long day."

"Of course, Major Carter. Thank you for your help," he saluted and she returned it before walking down the hall.

656

End, Act 26.

Author's Note: Made M'Zahe up from a compilation of holy places, hope that's all right.


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

Sam tossed restlessly in the bed before tossing back the covers. On the bunk above her, she could hear Svetla's deep breathing. She was relieved to hear its unchanged beat, she didn't want to disturb anyone over her own inability to sleep.

Rising, she walked out into the hall, heading down to the commissary. Upon entering, she asked for a bottle of water. Accepting it, she went to sit down in one of the far benches.

Something didn't feel right about this, she finally admitted, even if it was only to her own mind. There wasn't any point in telling anyone else, they wouldn't understand. Now if Daniel had been there, she'd talk to him. He would know what she was talking about.

He always did.

Unfortunately, he was still involved in the strenuous negotiations with the Goa'uld Lords, which meant they were on stand down. That was why she and Svetlana were here. After two months of staying mostly on the base, they had been given this assignment.

Resting her head on her hand, she closed her eyes wearily. Daniel and the System Lords, their oversized egos and the incredible mess they were stirring up. It was not something she envied him. In fact, she felt a deep sympathy for him.

Her thoughts were cut off when the ship abruptly stopped, flinging them about. With a forceful crack, she was flung out of her seat. Around her, she could hear the sounds of the ship straining at the seams, sounding almost as if it was pulling apart. With a tremendous crashing sound, the table came free and pinned her beneath it.

When a search was made, they found her there. A small pool of blood on the floor came from a cut on her forehead. Immediately, the mission was scrubbed. They returned to the base, they didn't have the right equipment to help her.

656

Martouf and SG-2 came down the ramp, bearing Sam between them on a stretcher. She had failed to regain consciousness. Janet was instantly by her side, taking her vitals and trying to stabilize her.

_She was desperately working on a solution. She had to save the crew from the force that had attacked them. Had left her alone in this part of space. But what more could she do than what she had already done? What was she missing?_

"_Sam," a voice spoke behind her as from a dream and she turned around, staring in surprised delight. To her wondering eyes, her mother stood beside her, bathed in an ethereal light. A beatific smile graced her features and she reached out to embrace her daughter._

"_Mom," she whispered, her voice cracking only slightly under the strain of her tumultuous emotions. Elation and dread mixed together as she stared at her. Seeing her mother, she felt almost complete. The thought of her beloved Martouf stopped her feeling truly whole and alive. "Am I dead? Have I failed to save us all from the ort cloud?"_

_She laughed. A merry sound that tingled Sam down to the tips of her toes. The joyous sound made her feel…at home. "No, my child. But you are not working on the problem that you should be."_

"_What are you talking about? I am trying to free us," she protested._

"_But that is not what you should be doing, Samantha," she gently said. "You are not here because of any real danger. At least, danger posed by the ort cloud. Sam, honey, you are here because you are not seeing what you need to see."_

"_What? Mom, have you not looked about? There is no one here, the Prometheus and all her crew have been taken away. I have to find them, I have to," she said._

"_And what have your friends been saying to you? Have you not heard them, what they say to you?"_

"_Of course I've heard them, mom. It would be hard not to hear their words," she said._

"_Then why have you not listened to them?" her mother asked. "They are not speaking to you in another language."_

"_What do you expect me to do? Talk to the little girl?"_

"_That would be a start," she agreed. "But there is more to it than talking to a child. Sam, you've put yourself into this situation. Only you can see your way clear of it. If you don't wake up, you will die."_

_Blinking in disbelief, she stared at the spot her mom had stood in. What was going on here?_

"_You were told that, Samantha," a deep voice, similar to her own, said. "You have imprisoned yourself in your own mind with your expectations. If you cannot break free, the both of us will die."_

"_Jolinar?" she asked, staring at the woman that she knew so well. She had never pictured her with auburn hair and slanted, gray eyes. Always before, when she had seen her in vision, she had an appearance akin to her own. "What is going on?"_

"_My dearest Samantha, your own impossible expectations have placed us in here. It is the one thing that you have always found so hard to accept, you are human. You, like every single person in the whole universe, is capable of making mistakes. No one expects you to be perfect, no one but yourself."_

"_So, what? I'm the one whose keeping us here? That makes no sense," she complained, frowning at the thought. "Why would I do such a thing? I don't want to stay in some kind of void forever."_

"_That's because you're trying to hard," another voice said._

_Whirling about, she saw…"Colonel?"_

"_Hello," he smiled. "Nice mind you've got here."_

"_You…you…but you're dead!"_

"_Yeah, I kinda got that part," there was definite laughter in his voice as he said it. Sitting down beside her, he poked her in the side. "So, what are you going to do about getting yourself out of here and back where you belong?"_

"_Nothing," she dully said. "I failed you."_

"_How?"_

"_What do you mean, how? I wasn't able to get the help you needed in Antarctica. I failed to make a weapon strong enough to destroy the Kull Warriors. I have yet to figure out how to get the Ancients' Technology to work on a consistent basis."_

"_Carter, you've forgotten two things about me. Are you listening?"_

"_Yes, sir."_

"_Good. When talking to me, always bottom line it. The second is that you are not alone in this endeavor. Never have been. Trust in your teams, you know each of their strengths and weaknesses. Well, except that Dr. Felger. Him, you need to watch out for. I don't care how good you say he is, he is not in the same league as the rest of you geeks."_

"_Sir," she began to protest, knowing it was useless. But, she missed him. Missed the whole exasperated attitude he had with her and Daniel._

_An exasperated sigh escaped him, as she predicted. "Carter, can it." Glancing over at the Tok'Ra, he nodded in her direction. "Listen to Jolinar, she's more that just a good judge about situations, she's a loyal and good friend to you."_

"_I know." She looked over at her friend. "But its just so hard, sir."_

"_Of course it is. Now, get yourself out of here."_

"_And talk to Grace, she has much to say to you that you would find of value."_

Martouf felt a hand squeeze his about a week after they had brought Samantha home. Her eyes met his and he practically leaped out of his skin, so happy to see the familiar eyes again. "Hey," she whispered.

"It is good to have you back."

"Good to be back," she yawned. "I have something incredible to tell you, Martouf. Remind me when we get home."

656

"**_UNSCHEDULED OFF WORLD ACTIVATION!_**"

The familiar message blared in the middle of the night. Guards rushed to their posts, guns at the ready in front of the open Stargate. A rush of adrenaline filled them at the sight, knowing that if the Iris failed, they were all that stood between Earth and invasion.

They hoped that it would not fail them. For the past few days, it had been acting up. A routine maintenance check had been ordered. Even as these thoughts flew through their minds, they firmed their resolve to do what needed to be done.

General Hammond stood behind Walter, tension spiking in the room. "Close the Iris," he ordered even as it was being done. He just needed to say the words to hear his voice, reminding him of the reality of the danger. It could be something that meant them harm.

Or it could be any one of his teams, returning from a mission much worse for the wear.

"We're getting an IDC, sir," Walter's voice broke into his musing thoughts.

"Who is it?"

"SG-2, sir."

"What?" he exclaimed. "They aren't due for two more days. Open the Iris. Get the medical team down to the gate room now."

Though the soldiers stepped back, their weapons remained primed and ready to do their duty. One never knew just what it meant when a team would return early. Nor were they ever sure if they would be coming alone. Dr. Warner and a small team stood at the door, waiting for the team to exit the gate.

Mr. Renada came stumbling through the gate, a familiar form leaning so heavily upon him they appeared one creature rather than two. The scientist barely made it halfway down the ramp before stumbling and crashing. One of the soldiers raced up to stop their movements, catching them before they could further damage themselves.

General Hammond entered and turned the body over, scarcely hiding his gasp of shock. It couldn't be. It just couldn't possibly be, he thought numbly. "Dr. Warner! She needs medical aid. Now! Mr. Renada, where's the rest of SG-2?"

"They are still o P35-X9J," he replied, panting. "Do not worry, sir, they are well. She came stumbling into our camp a few hours ago. As I have more training, Colonel Kawalsky thought it best that I bring her back on my own. Just in case something should happen to us."

"Why did they not come with you? The danger could've followed her."

He nodded his dark head, eyes flashing with regret. "Colonel Kawalsky is coming. He thought it best to clean up any traces of us so that they couldn't connect her disappearance with us, sir."

General Hammond nodded. "How far behind you would you say they were?"

"Last I heard, they were may be two hours, sir."

"Good," he replied. "Close the Iris. No sense in taking any chances."

"Sir?"

"Yes?" He turned back to the man, wondering what he had to say. When he just looked at the man on the ramp, he nodded in understanding. "Sergeant, take Mr. Renada to the infirmary. See that he gets a full check-up."

He helped the officer lift the weary man up and watched them leave. Going back up into the control room, he explained the situation as he knew it. "SG-2 will be here in a few hours, be prepared for anything. Sgt. Davis?"

"Sir?"

"Let the teams off-world know that we have a bit of a situation here. Their return will be delayed until we have secured the safety of SG-2 and the base first. I don't want to run any risk in loosing my men. If for any reason they need to return to the base immediately and cannot gate anywhere else, have them type in the emergency code. Hopefully, no one will have to do that."

"Yes, sir. Dr. Jackson and Dr. Weir are due to return in the early afternoon. Should I tell them what's going on?"

General Hammond gave that some thought before rejecting it. Though it would take the burden from his shoulders instantly, it would not be the best thing for Daniel to hear before he came home. "No. I don't want to worry them right now. They can do nothing except worry-which would not be the most beneficial thing for them."

_Then why say anything_? Walter thought, but held his peace. The general's words confirmed his own suspicions about who their mystery visitor was. "Very well, sir."

Moments after SG-2 came through the gate, it activated and a message was relayed that the diplomats would be arriving in an hour. They went to see General Hammond, giving him their report. "As you know, P45-295 has 36 hour days. Forgive me for any inconsistencies in the time as I haven't readjusted to 24 hour days yet."

"Understood, Colonel. Why don't you just tell us what happened?"

"Yes, sir. We had begun to settle into our routine for the early afternoon when we heard the sound of rings of in the distance. Giving orders to pack up, I took Mr. Renada and went to investigate the sound. Imagine our great surprise to see Ambassador Antiam leaning against the pillars. Though we had no way of knowing that it was not a trap, we cautiously went over to her. She was only able to warn us that Ba'al was on his way."

"Are you sure she said it was Ba'al?"

"As sure as I can be considering that we never saw his men, sir."

General Hammond nodded, "Very well. Then?"

"I gave Mr. Renada the order to get her to the gate. While he did that, we beat a path towards the mountain pass. I thought it best to lead them away from the gate. It is a four to five hour trek from our locations to the gate, sir. Mr. Renada needed all the time he could get her to safety."

"You did the right thing, Colonel," he said. "It wasn't an easy situation and you handled it with the best you had available to you."

"Thank you, sir." He sat down, trying to cover another yawn. It escaped anyway. Flushing, he quickly apologized.

General Hammond shook his head, "I understand, Colonel. Take three days, SG-2, you've more than earned it for your actions today. Dismissed."

6

Daniel and Dr. Weir walked down the ramp, a slightly defeated look in their eyes, though the news they carried was anything but bad. After a long and tense set of negotiated battles over the past few months, they had won the right to keep what they had.

But it had been close, too close for his comfort.

"Good job, Doctors Jackson and Weir," General Hammond said as they approached him.

"Thank you, sir," she said. Daniel just nodded silently.

"We'll debrief after you've had your physicals and had a few hours of rest," he decided, studying their pale complexions in concern.

"Can we just do it now, sir?" Daniel asked. "I think I'm going to need more than a few hours of rest."

"Very well," he nodded, though his face showed his surprise at the request. Of all those who worked at the SGC, Daniel was the only person who avoided asking him for personal favors-with the exception of the occasional trip to Abydos.

Besides, he had something to say to Daniel that he wasn't looking forward to. It would be one of the most painful things he had ever had to do in his career. As they walked along, the general was painfully aware of the looks everyone was giving Daniel. He could only wonder what the doctor was thinking.

656

"Dr. Jackson, I would like a word with you before you see Dr. Beckett."

"All right," he said and remained seated, confused. "General, did something happen?" he asked, recalling the way every person who'd seen him had been giving him those pitying looks that said they knew something tragic had happened.

"Yes," he started to say.

"Is it Sarah?"

"She's fine, son."

"Am I dying?" he asked, not able to think of another reason for everyone's reaction to him.

"That's not something I would be telling you, son."

"True," he said. "Still, you could be preparing me to hear it."

"You're fine," George said, rising to go into his office.

Sensing the undertone of something in the his voice, Daniel followed him silently. At a gesture, the door was shut and he sat down. Noting that the general did not, he felt sick at heart when he neither faced him.

Nor did he sit down as the moments ticked by.

"Five hours ago, the gate activated. SG-2's IDC signal was recognized. Mr. Renada came through with a badly injured person. Dr. Warner is still operating on her." He trailed off, hearing the move as Daniel rose to his feet.

"Why are you telling me this?" he whispered, voice breaking with the sound of pure heartbreak. "Its not, I mean, it can't be…"

"It **_is_** Ambassador Antiam," he confirmed.

Without another word, Daniel bolted out the door. It couldn't be possible. Thor had told him that…but there had been cameras in the Infirmary. Had the Asgard only said it to protect Jack's identity? If so, why had he said anything to him later? Or through their many allies? It wasn't like there was a dearth of conversation between them.

Stopping at the doors, he took a moment to compose himself. When his breathing had slowed down, he entered the Infirmary and made his way to the Head Nurse's Office, which was empty.

Turning about, he noticed the busy room and walked over, barred from even looking in. He remained in place, anxious over Antiam. If it even was her, a small part of him whispered, though by no means spitefully. Shouldn't he feel it, like he always had before?

"Daniel?" Sam hesitantly asked, having glanced over at him from her bed. "Is everything ok?"

Glancing back at her, he dully answered. "Antiam's in there. General Hammond said she was brought in five hours ago. Sorry about your accident."

"Don't worry about it," she waved off his words. Her eyes closed and she wished that she could wrap her arms about him, everything about him screamed of his need for it. This would not be easy for him, seeing how close he and the ambassador had become, following so closely on the heels of the colonel's death. Though it really wasn't _that_ close.

Seeing him like this, she re-examined how she had perceived Antiam and Daniel's relationship and wondered if she and Jolinar could have possibly been wrong. He had been so insistent on going after her. And Antiam's reaction and rush to save him from the kidnappers…Boy, the SGC had been buzzing for days with gossip and speculation about them.

Nevertheless, nothing had come of it. She had been forced to look at their relationship through new, less romantic eyes. Antiam and Daniel cared for each other, that was undeniably true…but there was spark.

No frisson of lust or passion. She'd been forced to see that they were good friends. Very, very good friends, close friends, but friends none the less. That's all they could be. Shau're still filled Daniel's heart. As for Antiam, her work seemed to be the only lover she wanted.

They must have stayed in silence for a what seemed like hours and Sam was getting worried about Daniel's pale face. Glancing up at the clock, she realized that it was no more than two hours since their joint vigil had begun. She was about to suggest that he get some rest when Walter walked in. "Dr. Jackson, the General wishes to see you."

"Very well," he sighed and turned away from the window, dragging himself out the door. It was getting to be a dangerous habit, this leaving pieces of his soul behind him. He wondered how much more he could endure before he finally snapped under the weight of it all.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, son. I want you to go home." George felt as though he'd kicked a starving puppy when the shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry but you need your rest."

"Sir, I really need to be here, for Antiam. Please, I'm really her only friend."

"This is not negotiable," he said. "Yes, Dr. Warner?"

The doctor sighed and entered the room, his eyes resting on Daniel. He watched as the younger man flinched away from his look and he wondered if the despair he felt was so easy to read. Not for the first time did he wish that Dr. Fraiser was here instead of at the medical conference in Fresno. "We've got her stabilized but unless the Asgard come, she won't make it through the week."

For the second time that day, Daniel found himself fleeing down the corridor, leaving before the doctor had finished speaking. He entered and immediately found her on one of the ICU beds. Pulling up a chair, he sat down and grasped her hand, surprised to feel the slight pressure exerted upon his own. "Hey," he softly said, noticing her open eyes.

"Hey," she whispered, coughing. Regaining control of herself, she asked him, squeezing his hand. "How bad?"

"Dr. Warner says you're stabilized," he started.

"Daniel," she warned, "don't sugar coat it."

"He says that if the Asgard don't come, you'll die just like Jack. What happened?" he asked, gesturing to her body. "I thought you could heal yourself."

"I can," she coughed a bit before settling down into the pillows. Her gaze never left him, though she was to tired to track him.

"Then why?"

"Am I so far gone?" she finished the query. "I crippled myself, Daniel."

"Why?" he asked. "You can't do this to me. Not again."

"Absolute power, Daniel," she reminded him. "You taught me about the dangers of absolute power. Ba'al was also a big factor in not healing myself. Infidel, captured me again. And I don't have a choice in the matter."

"Yes, you do. Jack had to die in order for you to live," he argued.

"Jack had to die for Anubis to be defeated," she corrected him. "I have to die for you to be set free."

"Antiam, I don't want to be set free. Not at the cost of being alone again."

"But I want you to be free to grieve for Jack, Daniel. He's not as far gone as you believe."

"Thor said.." he trailed off, suddenly realizing something. "Thor never said Jack was dead, just that he doesn't give second opinions when there's no need. And you aren't Antiam," he finished.

A tired smile crossed her face. "That is very true. Tell me, is Dr. Fraiser here? I am an image of the ambassador. I am here because he cannot be."

"What happened to Jack?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"That I cannot tell you."

"Cannot or will not?" he retorted bitterly. Their eyes locked and held as he tried to break through her silence, somehow knowing that she wouldn't break on this confidence easily.

Dr. Beckett's arrival saved her from replying. "Ah, I see that you are awake. May be you'll get some rest knowing you are safe. Dr. Jackson, it's nice to see you. I don't believe that you've had your post mission check-up. Why don't you wash up and come back? I'll look you over then."

"Go on, Daniel. I'll be here when you get back."

Reluctantly, he stood and walked out, feeling a well-known numbness taking hold of him. It had become quite a companion to him over the past few months. Mechanically, he undressed and tossed his clothes in the hamper.

Under a warm spray of water, he washed away the bad feel of the mission. Scrubbing as hard as he could, he tried to wash away the memory of what he had just seen. Water hit him but it did not penetrate the encompassing sense of the chill inside.

Nothing could reach the cold place inside where his heart used to reside.

His mind far from his body's actions, the room, and even the water's loss of warmth. Antiam looked pathetic, like a broken and discarded china doll. He'd never thought of her as fragile, as breakable, until now. It wasn't a thought he was comfortable with.

"Daniel."

The deep voice cut into his introspection and he jumped, blue eyes flicking up to see Teal'c's concerned eyes over the stall wall. "Teal'c, think you could give me a warning next time?"

"I am sorry," he bowed his head. "But I did call you several times before you heard me."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "You did nothing wrong. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You have experienced a painful shock," he explained. "I do not find it odd that you are preoccupied by it. How is Antiam?"

Daniel shrugged, finally turning off the water. Grabbing his towel, he started to briskly rub himself dry, trying to restore the warmth he'd lost. "She's bad, Teal'c. If no one comes to heal her, she'll die."

Teal'c handed him a thick robe, noting the return of his color with relief. "That would be most unfortunate, to lose our friend again." He said nothing else, leaving his words open to interpretation.

Daniel knew what he was saying and felt a little of the numbness leave him. It helped to know that he wasn't carrying the burden of excruciating knowledge alone. "It would," he softly agreed.

Feeling older than he by rights should, he walked into the locker room and pulled out the blue BDUs in there, quickly dressing. Tiredly, he stood up and started out the door. It took all the strength he had to move in a straight line.

"You should rest," Teal'c observed from behind him.

"I know," he yawned a little, covering his mouth and apologizing quickly. "But Dr. Beckett is going to give me a check-up."

"You will sleep after this." Though it was phrased like a question, Daniel had no illusions that it was one.

Nodding, he went back to the Infirmary. Once he'd been checked out, he went to Antiam's bedside and sat down. She looked up at him, curious. She knew that he wasn't supposed to be there. "I won't stay for long but I wanted to ask you something."

A troubled look entered her eyes, then was gone without a trace. "Okay."

"Did Jack send you?" The question left his lips as a barely there whisper of sound, his head angled away from the cameras. "Truth time. We have already established that you aren't the real Antiam. So, tell me. Did he send you?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"He sent you to die."

"No," she refuted the statement. "To release you and allow others from the uncertainty of my continued existence."

"You don't have to die to do that," he argued with her. "You could work here, the path is clear. I don't mind that you aren't truly Antiam, you have enough of Jack within you. It would be enough for me. I having miss my friend around."

"Daniel," she sighed. "I am a memory brought to life. If Jack continues to sustain me…"

The sentence trailed off but it had no need for further words. Daniel could read between the lines well enough to know what she implied. "You will both die," he flatly finished. "Why did he do it? Why, knowing that he would die, why?"

She coughed a bit and wheezed as her eyes closed for a brief moment. "You know the reason, Daniel."

He nodded, his own eyes closed. "For me."

"Don't feel guilty. Jack meant it as a gift, not a burden."

"I know," he whispered. They sat in silence for a while, listening to the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

"Daniel," she prodded, watching him through half-closed eyes. "Go to sleep. I'll still be here when you get in for work."

"I'm not leaving," he started.

"Daniel," she warned.

_That's the Jack voice I know_, he thought in satisfaction. "The base," he finished. "I do not feel up to going home. And, in answer to your earlier question, no. Janet isn't here."

"Dr. Jackson," Dr. Beckett greeted as he walked over. "I thought you were told to go home and get some sleep. Do I need to check you in to make sure you rest?"

"No," he said, rising almost instantly. Though half of him was tempted to stay, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep in the Infirmary. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he deliberately turned it into a question.

Antiam's eyes opened again. "I have already told you that I will be here, Daniel."

"Good," he said and left the room with a last smile. There was no promise in her words. Yet, it was enough for him. This would be one night he'd rest easy knowing the truth, even if it was an uncomfortable one to live with.

Daniel walked into Sam's office, noting the way she was hunched over the desk. "Should you be out of the Infirmary?"

"Dr. Warner saw no reason to keep me further. I have, after all, been in the Infirmary for a month," she shrugged. Leaning further into her chair, she looked up at him. "I'm just tired," she admitted. "My injury took more out of me than it probably should've."

Something in her tone had him studying her, more closely than he probably would've in the past. His study was not obvious, it would only make her feel self-conscious. There was a certain softness to her, an inner glow, which he had never before associated with her. A look he'd only ever seen once before.

It was almost as if…"Does Martouf know?"

Her head shook, not denying his question and the implications of it. "I don't know how to tell him, though I have tried. Every time we meet, I try to tell him and find my tongue won't form the words."

"But you have to," he said. "This is a big risk you're taking."

"What risk is that, Sam?"

"Dad!" Instead of answering the question, she hugged him and tried to focus on him. It wasn't that she didn't want her dad to know, she just didn't want the whole secret to come out before she could let Martouf know. "What are you doing here?"

"It's not everyday that I get a bit of a vacation and want to spend it with my daughter-and stop stalling. What is Daniel talking about?"

Daniel thought best to leave them and left, shutting the door behind him quietly. He didn't think they would notice him leaving anyway.

Besides, this was a development he needed to think about. He didn't think Sam had thought through this very carefully and knew that he needed to see someone who might be able to shed some light on this situation.

Or, at the very least, give him a chance to put his thoughts into some order.

Inside the office, Sam indicated that they should sit down. Though impatient, he realized that he should attempt to curb it and wait for her to tell him. Forcing her to speak had never worked out well in the past, it had only driven a wedge a between them. While he waited, he did the same thing Daniel had and a suspicion formed in his mind. His eyes widened, "Sammy, are you pregnant?"

Relieved that she wouldn't have to say anything, she nodded.

"Do you realize the danger in this?"

"Of course. Jolinar and I talked about it, a whole lot, and decided that I could cut back on missions. Teal'c leads SG-1 more than I do anyway."

Jacob's head shook and Selmak spoke up. "Samantha, we are asking you had taken into consideration that this child you carry would a harsesis."

She paled, knowing what that meant. Daniel had explained it to them very carefully. They were all aware of the potential for destruction such a child could cause. Still, that was only a danger for a child born of a united Goa'uld pairing. "No. Besides this child is the product of a union between Tok'Ra."

"It does not matter," Selmak said. "We may be fundamentally different than they, but the danger of the corrupting influence of the knowledge is real. We are the same, only our ideologies separate us. This you know full well."

Her hands rested protectively on her body and her eyes stared at him, full of betrayal and pain. "I won't let you harm my child." Her voice was low, suppressing her own feelings for the moment. Right now, she would not speak of how betrayed she felt by this attitude.

"I would never do such a such," Selmak protested, offended by the suggestion.

"Didn't stop you from taking advantage of Anya," she shot back, unable to hold back the words-and not wanting to. Let her hurt, she thought viciously. Let her know a bit of the pain that we feel for what transpired that day.

The Tok'Ra jerked, as though slapped. "What happened to Anya was not my doing. You know that I regret it happening more than anything."

"You didn't warn Daniel, making you culpable in the crime. If you had, it would not have happened at all."

"You cannot know that for sure. For I do not see all things," Selmak objected stiffly. She did not seek to hurt back, knowing why Samantha spoke as she had. Though it hurt her, she covered her own reaction to the words as best as she could. "As you do not. If this child is a harsesis, then many will seek it. The knowledge it contains could very well destroy it. Is this something you wish? To expose your child to such dangers as these?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," she stonily replied, staring at the wall.

"Sam, you have to talk about it," her father said.

"Not to you," she countered. "This is something that Martouf and I should talk about. He is, after all, the father."

"Martouf doesn't know?"

"I was trying to find the right time."

Jacob's eyes closed and he resisted the urge to slam his head against the wall. Counting slowly, he breathed deeply and opened his eyes. Sam looked miserable as she sat beside him, arms wrapped about her waist as if she feared he meant her child harm. "You need to tell him and you need to discuss what you'll do if the child does turn out to be this harsesis."

"I know," she whispered.

Reaching over, he pulled her into a tight hug, ignoring the way she stiffened at first. After he initial reaction to the news, he knew that this was a normal response. Jacob didn't say anything more, he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Whatever the consequences of this decision, it was something that she would have to face and soon. He just let his love speak to her and tell her that he'd be there for her, even if his personal convictions felt that this was a mistake.

656

"Daniel," Martouf greeted him.

"Martouf," he smiled, biting back the congratulations that sprung to his lips instantly. "I was just going to visit Antiam. She doesn't get that many visitors, especially since Adam's been away on that mission. See you."

Knowing that something was up, he rested a palm on Daniel's shoulder. When it tensed immediately, he dropped it with an apology. "If you could put that aside for a moment, will you answer a few questions?"

To polite to say no, he reluctantly led him into the empty lab. Shutting the door, he leaned against it and invited Martouf to speak.

End, Act 27.


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

"First, where is Samantha? She looked pale when I saw her in the commissary earlier. I thought that she would go to the Infirmary but she was not there. Dr. Warner said she had not seen her. Have you?"

"She's with her dad, talking about…the kind of things they talk about when they see each other," he ended lamely.

Martouf caught the pause and stepped closer. "Tell me, is Samantha ill? Is that why she did not look so good? She has been sick every morning for the past month or so and she will not tell me why."

"No," Daniel assured him. "I can tell you in all honesty, she isn't ill."

"Then what is she?" he demanded.

"She's," he broke off, unable to come up with anything in the face of Martouf's earnest desperation. Pushing away from the door, he went to the desk and played with one of the items on it absently. "Sam should really tell you what's going on herself. It wouldn't be right of me to do so."

"She is breaking up with me," he said.

Daniel's eyes widened. "Martouf."

"I have the signs in your television shows," he interrupted. "Samantha has decided that we should go our separate ways but is allowing us a period of grace. She is slowly backing out so that I will not hurt so much when the parting comes."

"Sam's pregnant," he blurted out, unable to take it.

"What?" he blinked. "Doctor Jackson, would you repeat that? No, do not. I…we are going to have a child. Why did she not tell me? Why did she tell you?"

Before Daniel could attempt an answer, the Tok'Ra was gone. Falling back onto the desk, he sighed. Whether in relief or exasperation, he could not honestly say. At least it was out in the open, he thought.

Hopefully, Sam wouldn't kill him for letting the secret out. He didn't think she would, still…he might look into hiding himself away for a while.

Martouf raced into Sam's office and opened the door without warning. "Why did you not tell me?" he asked, breathless.

Sam blinked and Jacob stood up and faced him, a mocking smile on his face. "Hello to you to, Martouf. It is so good to see you."

"What?" he asked, distractedly turning to him. "Oh, hello, Jacob. Selmak. Nice to see you looking so well."

"Thank you," he ironically replied, noting the tone was anything but courteous. As far as he was concerned, their conversation was only a distraction. Jacob knew when he wasn't welcomed. "Well, I suppose I should go and say hi to George and leave you two to it."

"All right, dad." Sam watched her father leave, shutting the door behind him. "Martouf," she stopped, not sure of what to say.

"I am sorry. I should not have burst in here like that and put you on the spot. It was just a shock to hear that you told Daniel before me," he finished.

"I didn't tell him, exactly. He saw it. Daniel does have experience with pregnant women. I was going to tell you. I know I said that I had something to tell you, but I couldn't."

"Is our relationship so uncertain then?"

"No," she protested. The fervor of her denial convinced him of her honesty. "Let's get out of here. It need to tell you all that went on while I thought I was still on the Prometheus."

Shutting the office door and saying good-bye to the staff, they changed clothes and went topside. Leaving the mountain in his car, they drove off to the park and walked along as they talked. "What happened?" Martouf asked.

"I was lost in visions, this you know," she paused, searching fro the words she needed. "I saw out daughter. At least, I think she was ours. Of course, Daniel had a theory that she was part of the Ort cloud our ship was trapped in. But Colonel O'Neill seemed to think she was something more."

"Samantha, you were not truly on the ship," he gently reminded her. Then he went on, "Do you believe that this girl…"

"Grace," she interrupted. "Her name was Grace."

"Do you believe that Grace is ours?"

"Yes," her answer was definite-if hesitant. She had no doubt about it but there was some fear of how he would react to this belief. It wasn't normal for a scientist to grasp hold of such an improvable thing and hold it close.

"Then no other explanation is necessary," he simply said. "I trust your intuition, your vision of this child, if you will."

"Thank you," she whispered. "I think dad believes that I want to have a child to bring back the colonel in some way. Selmak worries that it'll be a harsesis. Daniel never had the opportunity to say anything other than that it was risk."

"It is," he commented. "Samantha, you no longer have to carry it alone. No matter what, I shall be there for you."

Leaning her head on his shoulder, she sighed as his arms encircled her. "And if our child is a harsesis? Daniel had to give up Shifu, his last link to Shau're, because he was."

"We shall do what we must when we get there," he replied, feeling her tremors subsiding with relief. His own, though more hidden, were a different matter. He feared what this child would mean to them, to their future. To the future of all they knew and held dear, how would this affect them all?

656

Over the course of the past week, Daniel had found time to visit Antiam. In fact, he spent almost as much time in the Infirmary as he did in his office. Though he brought his work with him, mostly he and Antiam talked. Antiam found herself touched by this devotion, even knowing that it was only because she was a part of Jack.

When he walked in that day, she knew that something was terribly wrong.

"Antiam?"

"Hmmm?" she responded absently, sucking on her vanilla milkshake. It had been to long since she'd had one of these with a guilt-free mind.

"What do you, as a Furling, know about a Harsesis?"

The slurping stopped and opaque eyes met his, stunned and mystified. "I know only what you do, Daniel, you know that."

"I'm asking for your other knowledge. Come on, you don't expect me to believe that there is nothing in your whole memory of the Harsesis. How about from the Ancients' download?"

"Is this so important, Danny? May I ask why?" she asked. "Because I know this is about more than Shifu. If it was just him, you'd have asked me years ago."

"How do I know for sure that I didn't?" he demanded. "I don't remember my time an ascended being. And I know that if I'd asked then, you would've told me."

She raised her hand in surrendered and leaned back, pushing the shake aside. It no longer pleased, her and left the taste of ashes in her mouth. "Why are you asking?"

"Sam's pregnant."

"I thought she looked different but I couldn't quite figure out why," she murmured. "Did she ask you to ask me this?"

"She doesn't even know what you are. I'm asking because I'm concerned about her," he said.

"They have nothing to say about any child born of two symbiotes in human form. For the most part, they're a logical race and executed the race of Goa'ulds indiscriminately. We're no different. A Goa'uld was a Goa'uld no matter what they said," she shrugged. "The Tok'Ra were not an extremely large race then. Ask the Nox, they are a forgiving race. It was they who always steered us on a highly compassionate and moral path."

"Oh, yeah," he sniped. "I'll just call them on my cell phone. They're always prompt with returning my calls."

"Any call from you, I'm sure they would," she commented with a small smile. Closing her eyes, she forced her way into Jack's unconscious mind and riled though the storm battling within. The heart monitor started flashing while the respirator wheezed, trying to force air into her rapidly closing lungs.

Daniel jumped up, alarmed. "Antiam! Stop!" he cried as the medics forced him to move back. "Please, don't do this! I'm sorry!"

They worked furiously on the convulsing body while he helplessly watched it all. After what seemed like hours, the frenetic activity slowed to a stop and Dr. Beckett stood back, shaking his head. "I doubt she'll live out the hour," he proclaimed. "You'd best make your good-byes now. Find out if she's any special requests."

Daniel nodded numbly and stumbled forward. His hand felt for hers and registered how warm and dry it felt. Somehow, he'd been expecting cold and clammy. "Antiam?" he whispered and waited.

With a great deal of effort, she forced her eyes open and looked at him, a glazed expression. "Eriu."

Instantly, he knew what she wanted and nodded. The general would understand and he'd get permission to burn her body. "Should I ask Adam, Deva, and Alejandro to be there?"

"No," she coughed. "Ask Alejandro."

"About?" he asked, puzzled before he remembered what they'd been talking about. "Will he know?"

"Half-Nox," she coughed again, a little blood coming up this time. "Knows it."

Torn between pushing for more information and letting it go, Daniel decided to say nothing more. It was enough that he knew where to look for answers. Looking at her, a crushing weight of guilt filled him. "I'm sorry."

"For?" she coughed harder, chocking this time.

"This," he replied, gesturing to her body. "Not giving us more time. For pushing you for an answer you didn't have. For hurting Jack."

"Danny," she pleaded, "stop. No wrong."

"Yes, I was wrong," he insisted. "I should've waited instead of being so single minded, I pushed you to hard."

"Not Danny then," she wheezed. "Love pushy Danny. Animus amicus."

"Jack?" he whispered, hearing the return of the Latin. It couldn't be possible. Antiam had said that she was merely a memory, not the real person. But, if that were true, why would she use such an expression? An expression that told him that he was still his soul friend.

"Aveo, amicus. Vivo, amore," she confirmed and closed her eyes for the last time.

Daniel withdrew into himself for a moment, then shook his head. He was done with such things. Shau're had urged him to love again. Jack wanted him to continue to live. No one would remember them if he gave up.

Gave into the sadness within that had plagued him for so long. Jack had given him this chance at closure. He would grieve for a hundred days for Jack, for Antiam. Once those days were done, he would open up to life once more.

He might not feel like it but he was far from dead-and Jack wasn't as far gone as they had been led to believe. Life would continue to flow along its appointed course and he would rejoin the human race again.

As he watched the ashes blow free on the breeze, he breathed a sigh of loss and regret, of grief. Then, bathed in light and surrounded by the green of life, he strengthened his spine and walked away, not looking back again.

6

Standing in front of a modest gray door, dressed in a casual blue suit, Daniel shifted nervously. As he waited for the door to open, he wondered if he was doing right by coming here now. It wasn't that he was nervous, he had met them before. But that had been on their terms and at Jack's house, with Jack there. He barely knew this man, yet he was going to ask him something of great import.

"Dr. Jackson," Deva greeted him, surprised to see him. She had not expected to see him so soon. It had not even been a hundred days since the death of Antiam. Of course, she had known the truth. Adam had told them all about the connection between Emrys and Antiam when he had called a month ago. The question was, why was Daniel here? Had he come to give them any messages from their friend? "How may I help you?"

"Is Alejandro in?" he quietly asked. "Antiam told me to see him about something that's been on my mind. Something that has worried me that he may have some knowledge of."

Green eyes raked over him, studying his sincerity. The secrecy of his answer troubled her more than she wanted to admit to. She had no wish to be left out, but what could she do about it? Unless asked, it was not her place to join in.

"Why do you hesitate, my love?" Alejandro asked from above them. "Let him in, for I know why he has come."

"You do?" They both asked, surprised.

"Of course," he replied, joining them at the door. "Unlike some of my friends, I have not lost touch with my true heritage. But this discussion should not be had out in the open like this. What we speak of is not for untutored ears. Please, enter our casa."

"I shall get us some coffee," Deva excused herself. "And you may talk."

"Deva, I no longer keep secrets from you, my mixed friend," he stopped her. "You shall join us. It is your right as your familia has an alliance with us."

"Alliance?'

"She is part Asgard. They were not always as you see them now," he reminded him. "They used to be quite human in appearance and manner. The most human of all the races. It is only in recent millennia that they have forsaken such things in the quest of total equality of body and mind."

"You have retained much," Daniel commented.

Sitting down on the thick couch, he pulled Deva down to his side. "It is my nature as I am sure you know. Also, I have been guided by my grandfather over the course of my life."

"Why?"

"I am the creator of plagues, some for the good of all. Some I only created for the detriment of all mankind. It is a fine line to walk, one that I have stumbled on before," he sighed, falling silent for a time. There was a discomfort to his face that made Daniel feel ill at ease, as though he remembered the pain Alejandro was seeing once more.

"Alejandro, it wasn't your fault."

"Isn't it?"

"It had to be done," she logically replied. "Our numbers were getting to large, to conceited in their own place."

"To stop our own ideology, yes, I did what had to be done. I crippled us unforgivably. But the fallout that fell upon innocent humans? Their lives are so fleeting, so momentary, I had no right to rob them of what they had. They did not deserve what happened to them," he buried his head for a moment. "I am sorry for this, Dr. Jackson, you did not come for this."

"I'm not sure why I really came," he admitted. "I know that I did not come to resurrect your pain."

"Don't worry, it's nothing you have done," he said. "What is it that you wish to know?"

"I wish to ask about the Harsesis," Daniel started, watching them closely. The paled face stopped him cold. "What?"

"Is such a child to be born? Of what Goa'uld?"

"One has already been born and has ascended to another plane of existence," Daniel admitted, easing into the conversation.

"Then why ask if the child is out of danger?"

"My friend, Sam Carter carries within her a Tok'Ra named Jolinar of Monkshur. She and her consort, Martouf who is partner of Lantash are carrying one even as we speak."

Alejandro closed his eyes, bowing his head again. He did not know what to say to this desperate young man who wished for a solution that would cause no one harm. It could not be, this the immortal knew, such a child would cause much grief. "A Harsesis, even one born of the Tok'Ra, is a dangerous thing."

"But why?"

"The child would possess not only the conscious knowledge of the Goa'uld, but of the Tok'Ra as well. Such a thing would drive any mind, even one born to carry it, mad. Mad with power and greed. Mad with the attempt to live with it on a constant basis. And for a child whose very nature is divided against itself, madness is the kindest thing one can expect."

Daniel knew what he was saying. The lust for power that he'd felt in his dream resonated with him still. As much as he wished things had been different, he knew it was inevitable, the fall into darkness and despair. "Thank you," he said.

"I only wish my news had been better."

656

"Is there nothing to be done?" Sam asked, echoing his question from two months ago.

The despair on her face had been why he'd been so reluctant to tell her. But after their last mission, he knew he must. Using Alejandro's memories, he had suggested gating to a rather benign world for their mission. It had been a quiet, nice mission, just the thing they all needed after the chaos of the past few months.

And he had enjoyed playing in his archaeological sandbox again. It was nice uncovering the hidden past for pleasure and not for weapons. Still, he had not forgotten why he was really there and had searched for the keys that he had needed to unlock the dark past of the harsesis child who had once roamed the worlds.

Finding proof there of how far the madness of a harsesis could take a child, he decided that it was best that she know. Sam needed to know what to expect. What kind of life it might lead if allowed to live.

Love this child she already did and with all her soul. Did she love this life enough to let it go free? More importantly, did he love her enough, as a sister, as a friend, to support her decision if that answer was no?

"According to this text, no." He placed it back down, avoiding her eyes. It hurt him to look at her in this agony. An agony he had caused because he wanted to help her. Would she love this child enough to let it go if ascension was offered? Did he think she should?

Martouf's grip tightened on her hand and she looked at him, pleading with him. Pleading with him to take the choice away from her. Something he could not do, no matter how much he may wish to. "It is your choice, Samantha. No matter what you decide to do, I shall stand by you."

"Thank you," she whispered. "I need to talk to Janet." Without another word, she fled the room. In her mind, she could only hear a pounding cry of fear, of rage at this devilish choice that had been thrust upon her.

For the first time in her life, she felt a deep hatred for Jolinar. For what she had changed her into when they had fully blended and she accepted the new path her life was to take, for the greater good of them all. It passed quickly, recalling all the times of warmth and laughter the two had shared. The strength that she had received from her truest friend.

Still, she had to do something. She could not let any harm come to her child.

"That did not go well, Dr. Jackson."

Understatement, Daniel thought bitterly. "What do you think she's going to do?"

"I hope that she will speak with Doctor Fraiser. The good doctor always has good advice and is able to help my Samantha through her worst trials." The sound of the alarms blaring drowned anything else he had to say.

Daniel reached for the phone even as Martouf went to the door. The phone rang several times before he hung it up. The Tok'Ra returned, a puzzled look on his face. "We are locked down here."

Picking up the phone again, he dialed the general's office. It rang several times before an automated voice asked if he wanted to redirect his call.

"Doctor Jackson?" Martouf asked.

"There's no answer," he slowly replied. "Sam must've gone AWOL."

"AWOL?" he repeated.

"Absent without leave," he elaborated. "I think she's made the choice to flee rather than deal with the possibility of losing her child."

"But I would support any decision she makes."

"She's scared," he said. "She doesn't care about the truth, Sam's only focused on her emotions. Her baby's in danger, that's all she's choosing to recognize, to feel."

In the control center, Sam quickly dialed up a planet. She knew that she only had a few seconds before the others interrupted her. She had to get out before that happened, she couldn't let them hurt her baby.

The wormhole whooshed to life and she took a moment to erase the logs and the camera record. Taking one last glance about, she sprinted down to the gate room and up the ramp, disappearing into the blue.

Oh, she knew that they might find her someday. Daniel would not give up until he knew that she was safe and sound, it was one of the things she loved about him. And she would not deny her child, her little Grace, a father and grandfather, nor the numerous aunts and uncles, but when she came back, it would be on her terms.

Hers, not somebody who did not understand.

She emerged on the safest planet she knew for sneaking around on due to its Stargate location-Abydos. Once the wormhole died down, she dialed quickly, pulling up an address from Jolinar's mind and left for its safety.

A momentary twinge of guilt hit her as she thought about her family-especially Martouf.

But the life in her belly stirred, reminding her of why she was leaving and she rested her hands protectively over the gentle swell. She heard the commotion and darted through the gate and exited on a planet that swamped her with its heavy humidity.

The swampy landscape was not what she expected. Still, it was better than a desert wasteland. Slogging through the shallow muck, she kept a wary eye out for the native predators of this land. Reaching a small raft, she took the long pole and guided herself through the muck until she reached a small clearing.

Closing her eyes briefly, she called up another memory. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she pulled off her outer shirt and tied it around her waist. Pursing her lips, she let out a shrill cry that shattered the thick, muggy air.

From the canopy above, an answering cry came before ropes dropped and three women climbed down to where she waited for them. Dropping to her knee, she waited for the leader to speak.

A slightly voluptuous woman with dark brown hair moved towards her. A short bow slung over her shoulder, ready for use if called upon. Rough but surprisingly gentle fingers touched Sam's face and turned it up to the her. "How is it that you know the call of our sister, Jolinar?"

"I share my life with her," she replied. The words she spoke were rusty for they were speaking a language that Sam did not know she had known.

"May I speak with her?"

"It would be difficult for I carry another life within," she said. "If she were to awaken, I would my child."

The warrior nodded. "Will you submit to a search before we proceed?" she asked, switching to the basic language of space. It would be much easier to converse with this woman in the most common tongue of the universe.

"Lady," the dirty blonde warned, "this could be a trick."

Steel gray eyes met hers as she spoke. "I am well aware of that, Xia. But she gave the call of one of our own seeking sanctuary. How will I justify turning her away? Send for Marika, she will be able to see beyond the deception. If deception there is here."

"As you will, my Queen," she bowed. Brown eyes flashed a warning before she climbed up.

"Bagatelle, check her while I watch the perimeter."

The honey colored woman nodded solemnly, her shorn hair only making a little move. With quick, economical movements, she searched Sam fully and found only a zat gun, a GDO, and an MRE. "Certain of sanctuary, were you?" her husky voice asked as she stepped back.

Recalling the protocol of these women, she waited until given permission to speak. And she knew that, while Bagatelle's question sounded like authorization, it was not. This woman would not want her to speak until the Queen returned.

Returning in time to see Xia and Marika descending, she turned to Bagatelle. "Well?" she asked. Bagatelle handed over the items and she glanced up at Sam, a challenging look on her face. "You came scantily prepared, Lady. What would you have done had we been way for a long time?"

Sam looked up and answered. "I do not know, majesty. I might have sought safety in another place. Another one that my companions know not of."

"What do they call you?" Marika asked. Her calm gaze rested upon her, soothing the wound within easily. "For though you carry Jolinar, I sense that you have your own name outside the Tok'Ra. A name that both of you prefer to be known by."

"I am Major Samantha Carter," she replied, meeting her gaze evenly.

"And you come from?" she pressed.

"A planet called Earth," she said.

"A Tua'ri," Marika breathed.

"What does it mean to be a major? Or is that your name?" Xia demanded.

Turning towards her, she kept her face blank. There was nothing in her voice to reveal her annoyance at the snippy, almost antagonistic woman. "Major is the rank that I have earned in the Air Force, a branch of the armed defenses of my country."

"And do you fight the Goa'uld as well?"

"It is how I met Jolinar," she replied.

Marika stepped between them, cherry red hair glinting in the afternoon suns. "A storm is brewing, my queen, we should seek shelter and increase our shields."

"Very well," she deferred to her judgment.

"If it pleases, your majesty, I shall care for our visitor," Marika offered. This Tua'ri intrigued her, she had never dreamed that meeting one was possible.

Her lips quirked as she turned to face the shorter woman. "Whether I will or not, I suspect that you would stay with her anyway. Very well, Marika," she gave in with a good humored sigh, "this Samantha is yours."

"Thank you." She helped Sam to her feet and rested a hand on the still flat stomach, feeling the within.

"Marika?"

"Yes, majesty?" she absently asked, reading the life of the child as easily as one would a book. A complicated life, this she could see, and the power of a young man would free the child from the stigmata of its heritage. But how that would come to pass, she could not see.

"I would like to speak with you later."

Marika nodded, pulling away reluctantly. "I shall see you in your chambers tonight then, after the evening meals have all been cleared away."

"Home," she ordered and the five women climbed up the vines.

At first, Sam wasn't sure what how to make the climb. Jolinar's memories of this varied from what she saw now. The vines were more like mountaineering ropes than the woven steps she remembered. Grasping one, she assumed a familiar climbing pattern by wrapping one foot in the vine and resting the other on top of it.

Taking a deep breath, she started her climb. As her body relaxed into remembered rhythms, she just let herself feel. Sweat poured down her back as the hot suns beat down upon her. Even with the protection offered by the shielding around the planet, the heat of the suns beat down unmercifully.

Arms and hands aching, she pulled herself up onto the wooden platform. Panting heavily, she tried to calm her shaking body. She hadn't worked that hard in a while and it left her feeling winded. But there was a memory in the back of her mind that it was always going to be this way and that she had better adapt or she would never survive.

Marika locked her hand under her arm and helped her walk into a shady alcove. Picking up a cup, she filled it with cool water and handed it to her. While she drank it thirstily, Marika took a hose like attachment and started to drizzle water over her.

Feeling the mist hit her enflamed skin, she flinched before relaxing into it, aching for the relief it offered. "Thank you," she whispered. All around them, the other women were doing the same thing.

"You are not comfortable with the tongue of our sister Jolinar, are you?" It was half-asked for the answer was obvious.

"No. We usually speak in what I guess they are calling Basic," she drank a little more before continuing. "Or the Goa'uld tongue for we have performed many missions among them and around them. It has been the most required language for me to speak."

"So much that you are sought still by the Ashrak. Why did you not seek safety among us when you first left Netu? Male or female, you would be accepted by us. We would have protected you as they could not."

"I…we…she," Sam stuttered, trying to figure out how much to tell the shaman. Finally, she settled on the truth. This woman could obviously see it anyway. "We were ashamed by what we had to do on that mission. We did not feel it right to bring the danger to you."

"Jolinar knows us. What happened to make her think that we would not accept what she had to do to survive?" It was only half-asked, she knew why it was. To a fragile soul such as their sister had been, allowing herself to be used in such a manner would have shamed her.

"I don't think she wished to disappoint you. To expose her weakness to your eyes, her shame," she guessed.

"There is no shame in surviving, no matter what method was used to secure it," she mildly retorted. After a moment, she extended her hand and pulled Sam to her feet, walking them towards her quarters. "How far along are you?"

"I'm not entirely sure, no more than five months," she replied after thinking over it. "Don't you know?" she asked, referring to the study the shaman had done earlier.

"I'm a shaman, not an oracle. And yes, there is a difference between the two. An oracle belongs to the future. I belong to all times." Pushing aside the curtain door, they entered and a cooler air greeted them. The smell of fresh cut herbs and gathered spices tickled their senses.

Sam practically wilted in relief. "What were you doing then?"

"Reading the child," Marika pointed to the bed. "You may sleep there until your own quarters have been cleaned and repaired. It has been some time since you have been among your kin."

"My quarters?" she asked, shocked. "I thought that I was to stay with you."

"I know that you haven't been here in a few centuries but you were one of us. Obviously, your time living among the Tok'Ra and the Tua'ri has dulled your mind. Tell me, how long has it been since you've spoken the Mother Tongue for more than just greeting your people?"

The Major was silent, probing her memories, trying to find the answer. Finally, she had to concede defeat. "I don't know."

She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Then it has been to long."

"It isn't like I need to," she protested. "My work has been confined to the lab or working undercover. And the only language I need then is Goa'uld."

"Should knowledge be wasted just because there is no chance to use it?" she asked rhetorically. "Leaning is gift very few people have. Anything gained will help out at some time in life. While here, you will relearn the Mother Tongue, it is the one we speak most."

Sam would've responded but a large jaw cracking yawn overcame her. She blushed under the knowing gaze. "Sorry."

"Rest, child," Marika ordered. When the woman's eyes closed, she walked outside and gave a shrill whistle. An answering cry came seconds before a small, tow headed child flipped down from a tree branch.

A large grin flashing, she bowed before the shaman. "You called little ol' me?"

"Who else, cheeky brat? Tell me, how is the work on Jolinar's quarters coming along?'

"As well as 'spected when Xia is in charge. She ain't too please to have Jo'nar back."

"Of course she isn't," she muttered. _Power hungry and jealous. I must talk to the queen about that before it gets out of hand_. With a sigh, Marika turned her face towards the northern corner of their complex. "I shall have to work on it. Stay with Jolinar. She is called Samantha. When she awakens, give the call and I will return. I will not have you dragging her around without a proper introduction at least."

"Ya worry to much," she sat down, swinging her legs off the side of the platform. Out of her pocket, she pulled out her knife and began to whittle and whistle.

"Try to keep it down," Marika scolded her, half-exasperated. "Our little lost lamb needs rest, not chaos. Which means, no snooping friends."

Waving in acknowledgement, she lowered the high pitched sound. Marika watched for a moment longer before leaving. Later on, she returned and entered her room. Glancing over, she noted that Sam hadn't moved and shook her head. Turning away, she quietly went to work, knowing that it would be better for the girl to wake up slowly than all at once.

Only half an hour after Marika had returned, Sam's eyes fluttered open and she sat up, yawning. "What time is it?"

"Believe it or not, young one, it is time for you to go to bed."

"Can I go now?" a voice whined from outside the door.

"What? You still here?"

"Ya didn't release me from my post," she pouted.

"Well, you can leave after you take Jolinar to her quarters."

"Yes, Lady Marika." Facing her, she jerked her thumb towards the north. "Let's go, Lady. I am Twiletag. This way!" She dashed off before Sam could reply.

"You had better get going. Once Twiletag gets moving, nothing stops her." It was said with loving exasperation.

Rising wearily, Sam trotted off after the girl, barely keeping pace with her. It was only made possible be her focusing solely on the girl to the exclusion of all else. A part of her, the one that connected her and Jolinar even in sleep, mourned the missed opportunity to examine the changes in her home.

But it passed quickly. The weight of the past few days crashed down upon her so heavily that she knew she would not be able to enjoy any of it. All she craved was the sleep promised by the rooms that awaited her.

"Here ya go," she flung aside the curtain. "See ya."

"Thank you," she called, the words drowned under the sound of the girl's laughter. Upon entering the room, she collapsed and knew no more.

656

Daniel sat and contemplated the chart before him. After a month of searching, he knew that the choices were endless. Sam could be anywhere. If not for the danger of the child, he would suggest that they let her live in peace.

That was not possible, this he knew, but every part of his soul wished it was. "We could sure use some help here," he muttered bitterly. He wasn't sure whom he was asking help for-or from. Of course, he knew who he hoped for but that possibility was out of reach.

Giving up for the night, he gathered up some of his reports and left. The work of finding her would have to wait. His body and mind needed rest. As he walked to the car, he shivered and looked up, seeing the chill moon. Pulling his collar up, he shielded himself against the menace in the air.

Quite a night for ghosts to walk the Earth, he thought, driving home. Entering it, he tossed his coat onto a chair and made himself a little meal before entering his study. Shaking off his melancholia, he started to work.

End, Act 28.


	30. Chapter Thirty

Author's Note: This part took me a long time to write down on paper for which I apologize, and I am **_really_** unsure about how it all works. I was really afraid of bringing Jack back because I felt that it might be a cop-out. But he just wouldn't stay dead. And he comes back speaking Latin-which I do not know and am piecing together bit by bit from what little sources I can find. Right now, it is an Oxford Latin Dictionary. Great for words, bad on examples on how to use them properly, I know. It's a dictionary. _sigh_ So, forgive any incorrectness in my grammar and stuff.

6

Thor sighed and moved back. The Asgard felt deeply disappointed in the situation before him. With replicators hounding them on a planetary scale and the Goa'uld running their friends at the SGC ragged, they needed something to change for their good. And this one chance did not seem to be rising above mediocre.

No change. If O'Neill did not awaken on his own soon, they would have to put him to sleep permanently. They could not risk waking him up themselves. It would be most unfortunate for the loss of this warrior would affect more than just the fate of the world.

It would affect the fate of the universe.

"Heimdahl, what do you think of this?" He asked the scientist who had become his closest friend and confidant.

"About what, Thor?" he questioned. As though he was not exactly sure what it was that the supreme commander was referring to. Though he knew full well that there could really be only one thing they were talking about. It was the state of O'Neill.

"You know what I mean," he said. "I appreciate your attempt to draw me into a conversation by playing dumb but it does not work. What do you think?"

A twitch of his lips was quickly stifled. As much as he would have loved to smile, this was not the time. "How well you see me, Thor. I believe that there is really only one person who can reach O'Neill now."

"Daniel Jackson cannot know," Thor reminded him. It had been a wildly debated topic in the council with some saying he should know and others disagreeing with them. Just recalling it gave Thor a headache.

"I was not speaking of Dr. Jackson," he quietly commented. "You know of whom I speak."

"That would be an extremely foolish thing to do," he said. "For it would not be O'Neill who made the choice to awaken."

"If we do nothing, we will lose him," Heimdahl reminded him.

The Asgard stood there, pensive and silent in his thoughts. Heimdahl was correct, of course. He usually was. But could he, Thor, actually be thinking of going through with such an action?

Turning away from the supine body, he left the room. Pausing at the door, he gave Heimdahl some specific instructions, though they weren't necessary. "Do not let Loki in this room. If he must be in here, do not take your eyes off of him."

"Of course," he replied. They exchanged meaningful looks before Thor left. Loki had been troubling them for a chance to work on O'Neill. The Asgard feared that if left alone with him, there would be nothing to stop him from experimenting upon the man.

Heimdahl moved near to the body and rested a hand on the still form. A faraway look came into his dark eyes. "I hope that I have done the right thing," he whispered.

Of course, the body on the bed said nothing. The scientist felt disappointed. He wished that O'Neill would react and spare them from this course of action. For he knew what Thor would do.

Come what may, he would stand beside him.

656

"_Emrys. Emrys!" a voice insistently called through the fog enshrouded mind of the sleeper on the bed. "Wake up, you lazy youth!_"

_Only a rumble of a groan answered the words. The sleeper remained enthralled by the grip of the knowledge not meant for mortal mind. Or an immortal one for that matter, no matter the pedigree_.

"_Emrys, stop this needless slumber. Why do you continue to sleep when there's work to do, my brave, little warrior? Get up!_"

_The voice would not be silenced, no matter how the sleeper tried to block it out. To keep it from stirring the slumbering mind of the immortal youth to awareness_.

_Yet, Emrys did not want it to cease, not truly. However, the immortal also did not want to awaken into the world of confusion. And mumbled a reply to that effect_.

"_You must get up!" The voice insisted, pushing the form to awaken unceasingly_.

"_There is no need for my brand of work any longer." An answer came finally, spoken in a rasping voice by the slowly awakening immortal . "The world lies in safety under the sure and steady guidance of my anmchara, Daniel Jackson._"

"_You made him a promise." The voice became form and stood before the sleeper. A gentle hand touched the hair, forcing the sleeper to become aware of the very real presence of the person standing there_.

"_Grand-mater!" Emrys greeted, having pushed one eye open. "Daniel will understand my weariness for he has experienced it himself._"

"_Aye, and Daniel would forgive thee for it for that is the kind of man he is. Understanding, patient, and ever so loving with those he considers his family-even when they do not always deserve it. But he would feel the sting of your rejection all the same," she countered, staring at her grandchild evenly. "Couldst thou live with that?_"

_Now, the other eye opened and both were filled with a naked pain. "Danny," the immortal whispered, head shaking, as if to deny her words_._ From the position Emrys had on the bed, all things were opened before them, they only emphasized her words_.

"_Yes. Even now the sharks are swimming about, hungry for the taste of his blood. He was your protector as much as you were his. How can you now deny him this strength he needs?_"

_A sharp, intense pain ripped into the immortal, pushing past all the clinging knowledge as it filled Emrys with awareness. It became too much to bear and brought the immortal to the floor in agony and a futile attempt to shut it off_.

_In the distance, a hideous sound was heard which echoed eerily in the room_.

_The two turned to look where it had emanated from. Past the swirling, dark fog to see a sight that froze the blood cold in Emrys' veins_.

"_He has found him," Grand-mater softly spoke_.

"_Daniel," the name escaped on a sigh of denial._

_Yet the vision did not change and the two could only watch in helpless fascination the events that unfolded before them_.

Sitting at his desk, the linguist was pouring over the translation. When the doorbell rang, he rose with an irritated sigh. "I'm coming," the linguist opened the door.

"May I help you?" he asked the figure standing in the shadow.

"Daniel Jackson?" the visitor asked. His voice seemed to come from far away, though he was standing only a few feet away. "Doctor Daniel Jackson?"

He shifted, feeling decidedly uneasy under the unknown man's intense study.

His sweaty hand slipped off of the doorknob as the feeling of the utter _wrongness_ of this person filled him. The visitor seemed more shape and shadow than substance and he couldn't focus on him properly so comfortable was he with the night.

But Daniel answered the question anyway. "Yes." He couldn't stop being who he was, no matter how wrong something felt.

The shadowy form surged into the house, suddenly very real and terrible. Shoving him against the wall, a sword cut into Daniel's throat. The lights flickered and went out, leaving them in total darkness, save for the starlight that filtered in through the front door and half-shuttered windows.

"You lost me my warrior!" He hissed through clenched, crooked teeth.

Terribly afraid, though far from helpless, Daniel shoved him away and watched as the being stumbled out the door and onto the ground.

Knowing this was no ordinary invader; he slammed the door before trying to escape him, though he had no clear idea of where to go. But he knew that he needed to bar the way as much as possible. The office seemed to call him and he followed the urge, almost blindly.

A voice inside seemed to confirm that he had made the right choice.

The man rose from the floor and threw open the door. It slammed against the wall and the sound reverberated through the silent home. With an even, steady pace, he pushed things aside as he followed Daniel.

_Sword_! The voice shrieked in his mind.

_Sword? What sword_? he thought. _Where is it_? As frantic as these thoughts were, Daniel's search was methodical in comparison.

_Caliburnus, use it_! The voice seemed to roar in his ears as he touched the hilt of the hidden blade. As the door crashed open, his fingers closed surely over it and released the shinning sword.

Swinging around, the two blades locked in mid-air and he pressed hard, knocking aside his opponent's firmly. Knowing the room was to small for this, Daniel pressed his advantage and forced him out into the hall and towards the practice room.

His opponent recovered to quickly for that and pushed back, keeping them trapped in the narrow hallway. A forceful blow came and Daniel stumbled, but the sword in his hand never wavered.

_This isn't the most convenient place for a fight,_ he thought half-hysterically.

_You've been in tighter ones,_ that voice reassured him.

"Who are you?" He asked the man he fought, even as he parried one blow and connected with one of his own. Inside, he was asking the same question of the one who seemed to be helping him.

A cold laugh was his only response. There was a glimmer of satisfaction in the dark orbs that served as eyes when Daniel shivered and jerked to the side.

For some reason, that laugh gave him the answer. He knew that laugh and that look for he had heard Jack describe him once.

Once was enough to brand the man and his name in his mind forever. "Heingist," he so named him. And in naming him, named the person who spoke to him.

Rage filled the eyes and Daniel felt a strong blow across his back. An unbearable pressure pushed him down to his knees and the sword descended upon him. Thrusting upward, he held the blade at bay.

But how long could he hold him off?

Now he knew why Jack had warned him to never drop his guard in battling an immortal, especially this one. For this man did not hesitate to use his gifts to win a battle. It was really quite an ingenious way to keep ahead of the game.

In a way, it protected him the way Holy Ground did-even if it was technically cheating. He supposed that Heingist did not see it that way. Jack _had_ said something about how the immortal had thought himself superior to everyone else-even those of his own kind.

A voice in his head screamed at him to _think_ as he was forced onto his back. Forcing away thoughts of his enemy's technique, he tried to think about what Teal'c would do if put into this situation.

Dredging up reserves of strength, he forced his legs to kick Heingist in his stomach. Then, he locked them about his legs and twisted until he fell. Getting up, he brought the sword up and sliced off the man's head in one swift, sure stroke.

Breathing heavily, he stared at the man whose eyes glared evilly at him. Unlike the other beheadings he'd seen, this one came quickly. Lightening exploded in the hallway. Glass all over the house shattered under the impact.

Involuntarily, an agonized scream was torn from Daniel's lips.

He wanted to flee from this scene before his eyes, but he was glued to the spot, forced to witness it all. To bear record of the events that had transpired between them for there was no one else to do so. In the back of his mind, he knew that he was quite safe from being taken over by the life force of the immortal. He wasn't safe from the words filling his mind with their insidious truths.

A force ripped him from the spot. It moved him to a place of relative safety. It could not protect him from the voice of the man whose life he had just ended. Nor could it silence the words in his mind that what he had done was wrong.

He had fought and killed a man in cold blood. It did not matter that it was the right thing to do, that he was merely protecting himself. He had still done it.

Numbly, he sat, the sword resting in his hand with the tip point on the ground. The events of the evening replayed themselves in his mind repeatedly. He couldn't get the images to stop circling about endlessly.

After a while, he began to methodically clean and polish the sword. Occasionally, he stopped to check his work. Had he but known it he would've been shocked to see that his posture mirrored Jack's after he ascended.

The weapon in his hand was different from the one Jack had held, but the despair and loss was the same.

"_Do you not see…Emrys?" Her voice echoed hollowly in the empty room_.

_Emrys was gone_.

_She had not even heard Emrys leave her alone_.

_Her eyes closed in despair at the thought of what lay before the two friends. This fate was too terrible a thing to contemplate for her beloved Emrys_.

_It was far too soon for the warrior to return to the Earth_.

_Yes, they had wanted the immortal to awaken and put on human flesh again. But after the wounds had been healed and the ill-gotten knowledge had been removed_.

_The wounds still bled and the knowledge had become intertwined with the physiology of the immortal. It was not right that Emrys go back now. They had to get it out before it became a poison_.

_Yet, how could she restrain the one she had awoken once more? Emrys knew what to do better than anyone else. Emrys knew where to be and with who. Still, there was much danger in what had been wrought in this passage of time_.

_Oh, what had she wrought by allowing Emrys to see what was occurring on Earth_?

Daniel shifted slightly, feeling an odd warmness surround and enfold him in a protecting embrace. The power had yet to come back on, there was no reason for the heat, he thought vaguely. Rather than think on its weird presence, he pulled into himself again and let misery swallow up the mystery.

"_Amicus_," a soft voice spoke from behind him. (Friend.)

"_Nullus_. (No.)" He dully replied, so lost that he did not recognize that he was no longer alone. Nor did he realize that the person who had come spoke to him in Latin. A language he responded to automatically, though it was not his first tongue.

"_Ita_. (Yes.)" The voice disagreed hoarsely. The visitor did not speak again, it seemed as though strength had seeped out with the word.

"_Meus amicus iacui mortuus_," he said. (My friend lies dead.)

"_Quam_? _Quando_? (How? When?)" Sitting down, the stranger rested a thin-fingered hand upon his shoulder and squeezed gently.

Somehow, the touch didn't bother him.

In a strange way, it felt familiar. It made him feel loved and gave him the strength to speak. "_In proelium_. _Unus annus abhinc,_ (In battle. One year ago.)" He gave a short answer, not yet up to giving details. Besides, there was something about this visitor that let him know a short answer was best.

Silence, then a quiet answer came. "_Aegre fero_." (Sorry, I am.) Genuine in its sorrow and pain for the man sitting here. Sorrow that he had had to experience such a loss that still seemed to hold him in its grip.

The genuine sound of the voice called out to him and he slowly faced his visitor. Blue eyes widened in fearful hope, while his mind screamed that it could not be.

Trembling hands rose to cup the face with its unknown features and traced them in disbelief as the eyes closed briefly at the touch. He felt the reality of the person before him and forced himself to look and study the appearance of the stranger.

Thin, pale gray hair, so pale it appeared to be translucent, hung in long, limp strands. The androgynous face was so emaciated and the skin stretched so tightly across the skeletal face that Daniel could see the bones beneath the transparent skin. Opaque eyes gave the only hint of color to the stranger's features.

The strange, almost unfinished body so wasted away that clothes hung on a frame that he feared that one good wind would blow this person away. It had no more presence than a shadow, for all the warmth Daniel felt emanate from the body.

_**Yet it was the same person he had always known as a friend and trusted companion**_.

Forcing himself to speak, he asked the question that would shatter him once more. "_Possum ego rogo tuus-a-um nomen_?" (May I ask (for) your name?)

There was a hesitation, a slight cloudiness in the eyes as they watched his, trying to find the right words. Thin shoulders shrugged, a helpless look in the expression as a few words pressed by the dry lips. "_Ego scio solum unus nomen_, (I know only one name.)" the voice paused, trembling as if afraid of what the next words might do to Daniel. But they would not be denied expression and were uttered reverently. "_Animus amicus_." (Soul friend.)

Air rushed out of the linguist as both a cry of triumph and a wail of despair. "_Facio tu iocus_?" he asked. (Do you joke?)

Eyes widened at the question and the head shook fearfully. "_Nunquam_!" (Never.)

"_Tunc cur_?" he demanded, bitterly. (Then why?)

"_Cur quid_?" The stranger asked him. (Why what?)

The confused desperation to know why he would speak with such anger touched him with its earnestness and he answered. "_Cur nunc facio tu teneo tuus promissum_?" (Why now do you keep your promise?)

"_Promissum_?" The word was repeated until comprehension about something else filled the eyes and they stared at him, asking him desperately. "_Tu agnosco me_? _Quis be ego_? _Me__nomen_?" (Promise? You know me? Who am I? My name?)

Daniel stared at his friend, realizing that this was not an elaborate joke. Jack, though the spirit remained within this being before him, truly was gone from them all. "_Ita. Tuus nomen_…Emrys. (Yes. Your name…Emrys.)" He couldn't properly answer who Emrys was with the language of the Ancients.

It was somewhat limited in the things and concepts that he needed in order to explain things to the immortal man. If Emrys was still immortal, that was. There was no way of knowing for sure except to kill Emrys.

And that was something Daniel was not willing to do. He'd been given a gift and he wasn't going to squander it.

Besides, the look of limited comprehension on the face before him let him know that Emrys couldn't really grasp what they were saying anyway. What was it like, he wondered, to wake up with an inability to communicate and truly knowing only one person?

Was it anything like how he felt when he'd been thrust out of the arms of the ancients into this world? If it was, then he could help his friend in ways that no one else could. After all, he'd walked that path himself.

Yet, he did not think it was that simple. He had been able to adapt because he knew no other life. Emrys was robbed of even that. All the immortal had to cling to was their tenuous connection.

"Emrys?" the voice brought him from his thoughts and he watched Emrys. The word rolled clumsily over the tongue, feeling unnatural and heavy. Sorrow filled the whole face and the shoulders slumped once more.

A posture Daniel did not recognize on his friend, it seemed so foreign. And yet, he was not uncomfortable seeing it.

"_Ego facio non noscito hoc nomen_," Emrys said. (I do no recognize this name.)

"_Tu voluntas_, (You will.)" he promised. "_Ego voluntas auxilior tu_. (I will help you.)"

"_Tibi gratias ago_, (Thank you.)" Emrys replied gratefully. "Daniel."

"_Ita_?" he asked. (Yes?)

"_Modo_ Daniel," Emrys said with a smile. (Just Daniel.)

Shaking his head at the newest endearment that was added to Emrys' repertoire, he rose and started to walk away. The forgotten sword scraped against the side of the desk, ringing out with a shriek. The night's events flooded through him and he shuddered.

Color drained from his face and the sword dropped to the ground. Singing loudly and happily, it seemed to the quivering Daniel's mind, a song of the murderous deed perpetrated that night as it went.

Emrys stood up, startled by the change in him. Not knowing what else to do, the immortal grasped Daniel and pulled him into a full body hug, letting touch say the words that Emrys could not. The feel of a well known, if slightly unfamiliar, hug got through to Daniel like nothing else ever would.

Out of trembling lips, the story poured forth in a flood of Egyptian, American, and Latin words. The mix of languages washed over Emrys in waves of sounds that could not be silenced. They could only be allowed to voice their expression. A feeling of remembrance fell over the immortal.

A feeling of having been through this before, that this was right and the way it was with them.

This was familiar, this business taking care of Daniel. This was something Emrys knew how to do. They may have been equals and friends, but Daniel had always been ahead of Emrys.

Danny had always been more in tune with the emotions and what to do in the big picture sense. He never really worried about the present tense. While Emrys had been more comfortable with action and the immediate future, with doing what needed to be done right away and handling the messy details.

Always.

And therein was the comfort in the confusion.

After a while, Emrys guided Daniel upstairs and helped him into bed. Taking off the glasses, which were placed against the lamp. Then the immortal tucked him in, glanced down to see that he was comfortable, before heading to the door.

Feeling the withdrawal, the sleepy man shot up and grabbed Emrys' arm. Tired, he was so tired that he couldn't form the words and stared at his friend, a silent plea in his weary, panic filled blue eyes.

Daniel was terrified that the immortal would disappear and leave him alone once again.

Emrys sat down on the bed and soothingly rubbed the hand. "_Ego voluntas maneo. Tu voluntas somnus_." (I will stay. You will sleep.)

"_Vere_?" he sleepily asked. (Truly?)

"_Ita_," Emrys assured him. They sat in the dark and Emrys waited until Daniel's eyes closed and his breathing fell into an even pattern that filled the room with its steadiness. Once assured that he would not awaken anytime soon, Emrys rose to take care of the problem.

Standing in the hallway, Emrys stared at the decapitated body and a memory awoke within the slumbering mind. This was no common man that lay here. It was an ancient enemy who no one would dare kill.

Yet, Daniel had.

With a sigh, Emrys bent down and fingered the head, almost casually. There was no blood to be found anywhere, the sword must have cauterized the wound as it cut into it. A thought came to mind that no evidence of a duel must be left behind and that this was correct for the kind of person this had been in life.

But it did not tell the immortal what to do about the body. Emrys knew that it could not be buried; there were neighbors to worry about. Yet, the authorities could not be summoned to handle this situation. They would ask uncomfortable and unanswerable questions.

A knock on the door caught Emrys' wandering attention and brought it back to the matter at hand. Which was taking care of the dead body before anyone could see it. May be, if no one answered, the person would go away.

Then again, the person may just wake Daniel up with all the knocking.

Deciding that Daniel should not be troubled, Emrys slowly approached the door and peered through the window, not recognizing the man there. Even though there was an odd sense of something…familiar about him.

Instead of opening the door, Emrys went out the backdoor and circled around the house, carefully opening the squeaky side gate door. Quietly, the immortal moved towards the man, who whirled around as the touch of another immortal registered with him.

Both stood, tense with surprise and fear as they stared at each other before the man at the door took a trembling step forward, compelled by the sight of Emrys.

Emrys ran back to the backyard, startled out of the fear that held the immortal. Though afraid to stay near the house, the promise made to Daniel kept Emrys near.

Cursing softly, the man followed. "Emrys!" he urgently called out. "I mean you no harm. I was worried about Dr. Jackson when I heard Heingist was in town."

Still, Emrys kept moving away from him.

"Don't you know me?" his voice cracked with pain.

Adam's voice wove its way through the fear-crazed mind, though the words meant nothing to Emrys. Slowing down in response to the plea, the immortal turned and faced the man who claimed that they knew each other.

Knowing better now, the man waited, allowing a few steps between them. Now that they were in an open area with the moon illuminating them, he could see what he missed seeing before when his friend stood on the drive-way.

Emrys was an empty vessel.

There was nothing in those eyes anymore. That which gave Emrys cognizance was gone. The face and body were not quite finished. It was as though the immortal was in such a hurry, all basis for creating had been forgotten or pushed aside in an attempt to get back to this place, to Daniel.

"Emrys," Daniel sleepily spoke from the door. "_Quid_? (What?)" Though he appeared to be half-asleep, a tendril of fear coming from his friend had awakened him. It had pulled him from his sleep and sent him off to look for Emrys.

The stranger was shocked to hear Daniel speak in Latin. He was even more shocked when an answer came in a sharp, raspy voice, though the question had been far from complete. What the devil was going on here?

"_Advena_, (Stranger,)" the answer came with a pointed finger in Adam's direction.

Daniel frowned as he looked over at the man. There was a puzzled look in his eyes as he recognized him. "What are you doing here, Dr. Pierson?" It wasn't spoken hostilely, not totally, but there was a fair amount of suspicion in his voice.

For a moment, he was silent, watching Emrys watch him distrustfully. It did not escape his notice that the immortal took up a protective stance in front of Daniel, recognizing the tone in his voice.

Besides, the question asked had been in English and it took him a few seconds to make the transition from one language into another. "Alejandro called to warn me that Heingist was coming. Knowing of his strength, I worried about you."

The linguist studied him, trying to weigh his sincerity. "All right," he finally said. For the moment, he decided to put aside any residual feelings of resentment towards him and believe that he was being honest with him. "Heingist engaged me in battle. He died."

Adam's head shook. "Heingist is an evil that does not die, it only transforms itself. Besides, the gate would protect him from challengers and challenges."

"Go inside and see for yourself." He sighed, not up to fighting him about this. Daniel knew what had happened, he was still shaking with reaction to the night's events. "Emrys, come inside. Adam is safe."

Emrys watched Adam like a hawk. "Methos?" The name came suddenly and a strange light of life entered the eyes before dying to nothing again.

Adam whirled around, shocked to hear his name. Shocked to be recognized at all. "_Ita_?"

But the immortal said nothing more, just stood in place until Daniel came and guided the two of them inside. It was as if saying Adam's original name and hearing him confirm it, settled any fears Emrys had about him.

"He's down there," Daniel indicated the hall. "You can't miss it damage done by his death."

Adam silently slid away, wondering what he'd find there. Could it be possible that Heingist was dead? Did Daniel actually have the power to rid the world of such a misbegotten creature who had more lies and deceit in him than any Goa'uld ever could?

He knew that the linguist had power, but that kind?

Entering the hall, he noted the rather extensive damage with a shudder. It was very familiar, he bent down and studied the body before him. Fingering the sword, he recognized the blade's markings. Then he studied the damage above him and nodded with a long sigh.

It had all the earmarks of an immortal's fight to the death, even down to the cauterized neck wound. But there was something off-and that's what scared him.

This wasn't Heingist-but it was.

No matter. The body would still need to be burned. Rising, he thought it best to report his findings to Daniel and Emrys. And help his friend find a better body. The one the immortal bore now would definitely be seen and remembered.

Not a good sign if they wanted to keep it quiet that something fishy was happening here.

"Well?" Daniel asked, speaking in English. As much as he wanted Emrys to be a part of this, there was no way they could carry on a productive conversation in Latin with only the basics that the immortal could speak.

Sitting down with a sigh, Adam answered the question as clearly as he could. He was still stunned with the revelation of Emrys' presence. Not to mention, it was going to be difficult to explain what exactly that thing was without getting into something he wasn't qualified to speak about. "It's a summoning of Heingist's essence. Not Heingist himself."

"A summoning? Of what? And why? Why would he do that?" He asked, pausing to gather his thoughts. Once, when Jack had been feeling particularly loquacious, he'd told him of the existence of such things.

"_Hic timor tu, _(he fears you)." Emrys slowly answered the question before going back to the intense study of the wall.

"What?" he gasped. More out of shock that Emrys had answered the question when the immortal had shown no prior understanding of the English language. Then he gaped at them both when Adam nodded his agreement. "That makes no sense. Why fear me? I am just a mortal man."

"You are an extremely gifted man," Adam corrected. "You have two things that he most wants-you live in the light. You have the honor and respect of your peers. Due to his nature, that is something he will never have."

"Dr. Pierson, I…"

"Don't. If it wasn't true, I wouldn't have said it." He turned to see Emrys curled up at the end of the couch. The long lashes rested against the cheeks, in quiet repose. But there was an alertness to the tense shoulders that let Adam know their talk was being listened to.

May be not fully understood. But Emrys was paying attention to them. "What are we going to do? Why is Emrys speaking only Latin? And not more than a rather basic Latin at that."

"I think it has something to do with the fact that Jack died with that knowledge active in his mind. Thor said that they couldn't remove it from him, though he did gather some of the information from his mind. That language is all that Emrys remembers, with the exception of us."

"You," he corrected. "It wasn't until you named me that Emrys knew me." Quite a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, he had to if only for the sake of Emrys. "I'll teach Emrys how to survive as an immortal-and built a better body."

"Is that why Emrys looks so unhealthy?" he asked, looking at his friend. Rising up, he pulled off the thick afghan and covered the shivering body.

"I imagine so. If all Emrys remembers is the knowledge of the Ancients, all the basics we as immortals need to survive is lost. Emrys will not long survive without it."

"Is Emrys still immoral?" Daniel asked. "Or is it the Furling/Ancient blending that you feel because it would be more obvious?"

"Of course he is still immortal!" he snapped. "One simply does not change one's nature no matter what's been downloaded into the mind."

"Even if Emrys has had a final death?"

"Dr. Jackson, Emrys is right there. Therefore, no final death, merely a coma."

"Fine," he surrendered. Besides, both of them had denied the death in the first place. It would be hypocritical of him to accuse Adam of the same thing he was hoping for. There was no point to fighting over this.

Still, he privately doubted that it was as simple as Adam was making it out to be. But with the immortal set on this course, who was he to object? "What are we to do with the summoned Heingist?"

"Burn him," he badly stated.

"Burn him?" he repeated. "Isn't that a little extreme?"

"Not when dealing with a summoned one," he flatly replied.

"Why?"

"A summoned one is a dead body given a kind of false life," he answered.

"How?" he asked, intrigued despite his revulsion at the idea.

"Through the lost art of necromancy," he said. There was no hint of laughter in his eyes or on his face. He was deadly serious.

Still, Daniel couldn't stop the laughter that came at his explanation. In one sense, he knew he was wrong. His peers had laughed at his theories. Yet, he couldn't help it. The idea of magic seemed so unreal.

"Oh, really? I may believe in a lot of things most would consider improvable and inconceivable, Dr. Pierson, but I no longer believe in magic as anything more than applied science with flashy lights."

"Do not mock it, Dr. Jackson. Magic is as real as the Stargate. How do you think that we are able to transform ourselves?" Adam asked.

"Genetics," he answered.

Adam sighed. "It is more than that, though I will not deny that genes plays a part. But magic, like so many things, has transmuted into a parody of itself. It is no longer what it once was but there are those who practice it in its purity. Emrys spent two life times doing that," he paused, seemingly for effect. "Heingist is one who has dedicated his life to it."

"All right," he said. "What does this have to do with burning the summoning as opposed to burying him?"

"To bury a summoning would allow it to rise and return to its master with the knowledge he sought to find. Believe me, Dr. Jackson, when I say that is something you do not want."

Though he didn't fully believe him, he nodded. "So, how do we do this?" he distastefully asked.

"I'll handle things," he replied. "What I want to know is, how are we going to hide Emrys from the public eye? We are safe enough with the power out but once it comes on, it'll be hard to hide Emrys."

"Jack had a cabin in Minnesota. He left it to me to care for. I guess I was the closest thing to family he had," Daniel responded after some thought. "We could take Emrys up there for a while. I have a vacation due me that I can take. How about you?"

"I started my two week vacation today. Why don't you give me the directions and I will set out tonight with Emrys and the summoning. I will teach survival skills while we have the time. That way Emrys will have a proper form when you arrive. You can teach the language and other skills when you come, that way we won't be overwhelming Emrys' mind with a lot of information packed into a small space of time. Agreed?"

"Agreed," he reluctantly agreed after a long pause full of taut silence.

"_Ita_," Emrys murmured, revealing an awareness of their plans-and the immortal's willing cooperation in them.

Working quickly, the trio cleared up the mess left behind. Though Daniel felt more than a little queasy, he waved off Emrys' shooing motions and helped put the body into Adam's car trunk. This was his mess, he should take responsibility for it.

When it came time to see them off, he felt sick. Could he do this again? See his friend off into the unknown, still innocent in mind and heart?

Emrys looked at him and gave him an all-encompassing hug. Saying without words that it would be all right. He nodded in understanding and Emrys smiled before letting go and getting into the car.

"Adam, what is the first thing you'll be teaching Emrys so that when I come, I won't react badly?"

"To chose a specific gender," he replied. "While in some lines of work, Emrys would be relatively unremarkable, in our world, it would be deadly. They would remember such an undefined person."

"Then I shall choose names that are not gender specific," he said. "Give Emrys the choice of name from the Celtic homeland."

"Find a way for O'Neill to be kept as a surname," Adam advised, entering the car and starting the engine. "That name is more than just a word for Emrys. It is part of the cultural identity Emrys' claims."

Watching it go, Daniel stood there and waved to them. Emrys had turned around and stared at him with a slight smile on that oddly shaped face. Somewhere deep inside the linguist, he felt that things would be normal soon.

Well, as normal as things got for them.

He couldn't wait.

The End.

Author's Note: While I may continue this in another story, I think this particular story is complete. I have two mini-tales in the works, one where they first met (though they may actually become part of the sequel story wherein Jack deals with what's happened). And one during Arthur's time, b/c I am a fan of Arthurian legends. What do you think? That is, if anyone is still reading this.


	31. Animus Amicus

Title : Animus Amicus  
Disclaimer : I own nothing but the idea. _STARGATE SG-1_, _STARGATE: ATLANTIS_, _Relic Hunter_, _The Sentinel_, _SeaQuest_, _Star Trek: The Next Generation_, and _The Highlander_ (TV show) are owned by a bunch of other people, none of whom I am related to.  
Rated : K+ (PG) to be on the safe side.  
Author's Note : This is the sequel to "_Anmchara_" – yes, you do have to read it in order to understand this story. This will soon be moved into a separate story of its own, this is just to let everyone know that I have started the sequel.

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_It was a glorious chilly pre-dawn morning Emrys emerged into as she emerged from the cairn she called home. As she yawned and walked barefoot across the rocky, dewy ground, she pulled her long, silvery white hair back, out of the way. For today she would be making the first of the tools of her craft, a small harp._

_Next to her voice, the harp would be the most valuable tool she had._

_On she walked, up the craggy cliffs towards the forest. Knowing that somewhere within, a grove of rosewood trees resided. The closer she got to the opening, the easier it was to make out the features of the tall, broad shouldered man waiting for her._

_Dyfas. The older man's face had no expression on it, though his grey eyes held a hint of warmth and welcome. His body was thickening out, yet remained strong from his years of walking the length and breadth of their realm. Over his shoulder, his harp of holly was slung._

_This was the only acknowledgment of his trade that he carried. For this morning was about crafting and he wore the green robe of the carver. Blending in easily with the surroundings, she almost lost sight of him. As it was, her simple grey acolyte robe allowed her to partially blend in with the morning's fog. As it dissipated, she would have to use other means to camouflage herself._

_Bowing low, her hands danced gracefully in greeting. There were no words, not because it was early in the morn but because this was a sacred time of preparation. No words would be spoken until after the task was accomplished._

_Dyfas returned the greeting and began to walk further into the interior. Pausing once, he gestured for her to put on the thick soled cloth shoes that rested on the tree stump. Following him, she listened to the trees, feeling their heartbeat and welcome._

_If there had been neither feeling, she knew that it was not the time to ask for a bit of their life force and would need to return another time._

_A shrill cry pierced the air and she turned, startled by the sound that shattered her peace, that made the trees darken. The ground beneath her shod feet felt hard and unyielding, full of anger. Such a sound of bloodlust and pain had never before sounded in their valley. Hidden deep within the hollow hills of Eriu, they were known to none in the outer world._

_Dyfas rested his hand upon her arm and she recognized his message. As the Chosen Bard, the one to leave the valley and serve the greater world, she was to hide away. In her mind were all the legends and knowledge of the people, she could not fall into enemy hands._

_Though she wished to stand with her tribe, it was neither her place nor her time._

_With profound reluctance, she accepted his knife and slid into the shadows, making her way up farther into the hills. Stopping only once upon hearing the heartbeat of her tree, she asked and received permission to take a limb from it. Then, she disappeared into the morning as if she had never been there._

_In the cairn of solitude that was beyond the valley's perimeter, she waited. And as she did, she crafted a harp from the rosewood branch. For strings, she used strands of her hair._

_In silence, she carved and waited for it to harden into the familiar curved shape._

_In silence, she braided and strung the strands through the wood, testing to make sure it was perfect._

_In silence, when there was nothing left to do, she waited._

_In silence, she dreamed._

_In dreams, she was with someone she did not know. He stood, proud and tall, with skin a color she knew was sun blessed in a way her own people did not have. His eyes were a startling color – the blue of an egg brought into existence by the bird who heralded the coming of the warming months._

_Around him were others of his coloring, some darker and some lighter. All stood, straight and tall, with dark hair and eyes. In skirts of white, they stood, facing the rising disc of the sun. The sound of wind blowing rasped in the distance. Before them, a man emerged from a building, walking down the stairs. He was dressed in a full robe of some kind of spotted animal, a necklace of a bird with wings outstretched, glinted in the brightening light_

_But it was the man beside her who held her gaze. He captured her whole attention, though he seemed to be barely aware of her presence. The man looked in her direction, really looked at her, and she felt that this was right. This was the way things were supposed to be._

_The bark of fierce hounds had her awake. In the entrance, several shadowed men stood. Their faces a mixture of reverence and annoyance for all they had gone through to find her. Gwalmai stepped forward, "Forgive me for my offense but they will have you in exchange for sparing our people."_

"_You traitorous, faithless son," she spat out, rising to meet him. As it ever was, the people she served came first – and he knew it. "You will walk the world in shame forever until you have righted this great wrong. And may your mother disavow you for what you have done to her name and honor."_

_Gwalmai flinched, knowing the curse to be a powerful one – and one not lightly uttered._

_Far from cowed by the men who grabbed hold of her, who jerked her about, tying her arms behind her, Emrys marched out with her head held high._

Adam sighed, glancing at Emrys in the pale watery light of the morning. Within him, he felt the strong desire to take his newly born friend and flee. Leave behind Daniel and the SGC with all of their entangling knots. Their strangling knots that entwined about them, knowing that he could not. Emrys would leave him and find a way back to Daniel.

It was just what Emrys did.

He had barely been able to convince Emrys to become whole and more human looking. Well, as human looking as one with more Furling blood than Ancient could look – the ears revealed that less than human blood within. With a new life spread out before Emrys, Adam thought it only fitting that his friend had returned to first form – the one he best remembered for it was the one he'd met Emrys in.

And it was the one in which he had taught Emrys all there was to know about surviving as an immortal.

Emrys was his student again, so it was only appropriate that she was back in that form. He knew she recalled something from her life before this strange death - and not just Daniel. Not just his importance to her. There were definite signs that she remembered her native tongue, her baldric abilities, and knew enough of him to trust him.

Yet, the things that she should know intimately – like hiding her abilities that had nothing to do with her immortal status – escaped her grasp. In her youth, she had been trained to blend in with everything unless the situation called for it to be otherwise. That was gone, Emrys seemed to be uncomfortable in her skin and it showed.

To all appearances, even with some signs to the contrary, the warrior bard of Eriu was dead.

Making the required turn, he shook his head, half fearful that he would never be able to recover the soul that she was. Recover the warrior she needed to be as well as the bard that she had always been. Hopefully, in the confines of the cabin in Minnesota – a place similar to her natal environment – it would all return. For it was the warrior they needed, the innocent child was only a danger to them.

Emrys started out the window, colorless eyes blind to the beauty of the majestic trees. There was some acknowledgement of them as they drove into the deepening thickness. The green welcomed her back into familiar territory. Rolling the window down, she leaned out just a little and inhaled the fresh scent of pine and living things. Something was familiar about this place, this scent.

Pulling up in front of the cabin, Adam waited to see what she would do. As each hour crawled by, he feared that he'd lost her to the contemplative prison of her mind. The sun reached its zenith, a greenish golden glow touched the earth. Then, it started its trek down behind the hills, deepening the shadows to purple and chilling the air.

Emrys blinked slowly and moved, opening the door and unwinding herself from the position she'd held since entering the car after their last stop. Standing up, she approached the lake and turned, arms extended wide in welcome. A small bow and a benediction of welcome passed her lips before she sank to the ground, lost in her own mind again.

Getting out of the car, Adam unlocked the door and shivered as cold and stale air from inside the house rushed out. Glancing about, he noted that, although dusty and obviously not visited recently, it was ready for visitors. A welcoming sight of stacked logs by the fireplace was all the invite he needed to begin opening the house up to them.

Once the fire was going, he took a torch out to the fire pit and put it down in a hole so that it rested securely there between two medium sized rocks. Walking back to the car, he opened the trunk and shook his head. The body was there, resting in perfect condition – a high class summoning indeed.

Emrys reached in and grabbed half of the body, startling him. Regaining his composure when he realized that she was looking at him expectantly, he picked up the other half. Together, they carried the body to the pit, lighting a fire to properly dispose of it. Emrys produced sweet smelling rosewood and willow to toss into the fire. Adam made a conscious choice not to question her. The new smells mingled and neutralized the scent of burning flesh.

"_Cliodna, protect this land from the poison of this summoning's burial. Guide him with thy birds to where he must dwell_," Emrys' soft voice spoke the words. Not in Latin, as Adam had expected, but in her native tongue.

It rather shocked him but he shook it off and guided her inside once the last of the smoke has dissipated into the night. With that distasteful business finished, he began to teach Emrys of the new world that awaited her and how to live in it with her gifts.

654321

Daniel pinched his nose, finally rising from his chair with a sigh. There was still no sign of Sam – and everything they found out about Jolinar's previous hosts were contradictory and turned up as dead ends. The search was taking quite a toll on Martouf for even with Lantash's help, there was only so much a human body could take. The stress was making the normally easy going and pleasant man downright vicious.

And, as much as Daniel worried about his sister, he felt frustrated that he had to be here when Jack needed him.

The phone rang and Daniel reached for it, yawning. "Dr. Jackson," he said, picking up yet another paper to study for anything he may have missed. As this was something for a mission that SG-16 was taking, he knew that it was important for him to do his best work even though he was torn in two differing directions.

"Are you coming up here anytime soon?"

"Yes," he replied, recognizing Adam's voice. "I have done just about all that I can do here. There is a flight leaving later on tonight. No matter what, I plan to be on it."

"Good. Saorise needs you here," the distaste was obvious.

"You are deserting the search for Samantha?" Martouf asked, voice full of enraged betrayal.

"Dr. Pierson, I have to go." Daniel hung up before Adam could respond. Turning to face Martouf, he wondered what he could say to ease the pain. "Yes and no. I am leaving the search here – but I have a contact of Jack's that might know something of use to us."

"Take me with you," Martouf demanded. "There is nothing that I can do here. I am not allowed to search with my people for they say that I have lost my objectivity. In their eyes, I am a danger to them and to Samantha. She is my life. I need to do this. I need to find her."

Daniel sympathized with him. How could he not? Not that long ago, it had been _him_ who had been in the same position. He had needed to go out, to find his beloved Shau're. To deny Martouf that chance would make a hypocrite out of him.

But could he actually bring Martouf into contact with Jack while the immortal was still so defenseless?

His conscience warred with his sense of fair play. None of this fight showed on his face. He'd long since learned to gain control over visible reactions to internal warfare. "I wish that you could go with me but this contact cannot be seen by the government – and you know that they will watch us if we leave together. It's bad enough that they watch me all the time for all that the Asgard have ordered them to stop and respect my privacy."

"You would deny me when you know my pain?" he asked incredulously. "When the uncertainty that gnaws my heart is known to you?"

Daniel flinched. "It isn't like that."

"Martouf," Teal'c's voice was calm, authoritative. "Master Bre'tac has a lead that I am following. I would be most honored if you would join me in the search."

Martouf suspiciously looked at them before blind hope chased the doubt away. "When do we leave?" he asked. The desperation in his voice caused both men to wince, though the Jaffa's face remained typically impassive.

"As soon as Master Bre'tac arrives and I learn something of the Greek Spartans."

"First off, I would not call them Greek. Sparta considered itself a separate entity from the rest of those on the Greek islands," he replied, looking at his shelves for a book on Ancient Greece. "As stated by Jack, they were a warrior society. At the time, they were surprisingly democratic, even allowing women the right to vote and rule.

"This was not actually due to a sense of equality but more because of expediency. As the majority of the men were in the army, women were much older when they married. They also were far more athletically inclined and more outspoken than other Greek women. It was a common thing in Sparta for they saw that women were the bearers of the nation.

"The confidence of the army was not misplaced for they were excellent warriors who were taught not to fear death. The uniforms they wore were red so as to disguise their blood. A life for them consisted mostly of warfare and privation, they taught their men to go without or to steal what they needed. It was thought that a good thief spoke of one who would be an excellent forager. Or even a spy. The Spartans were not warriors of the water as the Athenians were."

"Athenians?" Martouf asked.

"The other main power in Ancient Greece. The Spartans were not alone in the ideology that they were a separate entity, sharing only a similar language. In those days, you were a Spartan or an Athenian or a Mycenaean or whatever province you happened to come from. More often than not, they could be found fighting each other rather than a common enemy. In a way, the mountainous terrain and the many islands contributed to this fragmentation and lack of cohesion," Daniel explained, turning the book over so that they could see the maps he was looking at.

Teal'c nodded, "Will we have trouble speaking to them?"

"I don't think so. The only problem that might arise is if they don't speak the Basic language of the universe. Either way, you will need to remember to be brief. They are not fond of postulating or grand speeches. Short and to the point is really the only way – but do not make the mistake that many of their time did in thinking that they are dumb. They are not – but they believe in immediacy and expediency," he paused, adding, "Also, if there is a festival to Ares or Zeus going on when you arrive, they will _not_ help you. It is a known fact that they did not help the Athenians fight the Persians because there was a festival to Zeus occurring at that time. It is to be hoped that they have evolved over time. Still, it is wise to be prepared."

"I do not believe that I have heard of either of those Goa'uld," Martouf thoughtfully said.

"Nor have I," Teal'c agreed.

"It could be that they are not Goa'uld at all, but mortals who had done something so grand, they became gods over time," Daniel observed. "All the gods and goddesses can't be Goa'ulds. We know that the Asgard aren't – neither is Quetzalcoatl. Then again, they could be but were driven into exile, much as Anubis was. Only this may have happened much earlier than his exiling. As a result, they could have fallen into obscurity among the Goa'uld – but not among the race of man. Thus, there is no stain upon their names and we tell their stories, letting them continue to live among us."

They silently contemplated this before Daniel cleared his throat, "That is the extent of my knowledge of them as my area of expertise is Middle Eastern rather than Mediterranean. If you need more, I would talk with Dr. Fox."

"Thank you, Daniel," Teal'c said, turning to leave. "Good journey to you and may you be blessed with the wisdom that you seek."

"Thank you, Teal'c. It is to be hoped for," Daniel replied, watching them leave with mixed feelings. As he put the book away, there was a thoughtful look in his eyes. Just how much did Teal'c know – or suspect – about Daniel's true destination and contact? It was always hard to tell with the Jaffa because he always seemed to know things before anyone else did. It made him an invaluable ally but a most disconcerting friend.

Shaking it off because there was noting he could do, he finished his preparations, turned out the light and grabbed his papers. Shutting the door, he made his way down the hall to give Walter the report to pass on to the General. Making one more stop to give Jonas and Janet the keys they'd need, he changed and left Cheyenne Mountain. Double checking to make sure he had everything from his luggage to his tickets to emergency funds and his wallet, he took a taxi to the airport.

The wait and check-in seemed interminable but they were finally allowed to board the plane. Pulling out a magazine, he began to peruse it, knowing that he needed to keep his mind occupied if he was to get through the flight with some composure. The nervous fluttering in his stomach were rather hard to ignore but upon finding an article written by Dr. Zawi Hawass, he was able to settle down temporarily.

Putting aside the article, he ate a light meal and thoughts of his meeting with Saorise entered his mind once again. This wasn't like when he'd met and gotten to know Antiam for there had been a comfort there, a sense of knowing each other.

Saorise was an awkward question mark in his mind.

He was entering into this blind. He had known who Emrys was before because he'd known Jack but he didn't know Emrys now. From what Adam had been reporting to him, Emrys had reverted back to her earliest nature.

Daniel didn't even know what that meant. All of the times he'd met Jack – Emrys – Saorise – his friend had been in full control of his faculties. He'd known who and what he was and how to handle what life threw at him. The immortal had always been in charge.

Now, it was up to Daniel to lead the way, to help Saorise out of the darkness of her mind. Could he do that – especially when he feared that in her first life, he may have owned her in some fashion? She did not regret him – but she may now for she was a different person, though their renewal of friendship spoke that this was not so.

So deep in thought, he barely registered that the man next to him was speaking to him.

end of preview...


End file.
